Chaos Theory
by Faythren
Summary: Brynn is running away from a father who only ever hurt her and a life living under Mr. Wolfe's thumb that she wants nothing to do with anymore. When Seth and Sara help her escape by taking her with them along that fateful taxi ride, Brynn will discover a strength within herself she never knew was there. A strength that will help her face her past and build a new future. SethXOC
1. Getting Out

_**Author's Note**_

_Hello, readers. If you are a previous fan of my work, welcome back. If you are new to my work, thank you for reading. I got what I hope will be an awesome story written for you all. It stars my OC, Brynn, focused on her life and how the events and characters of Race to Witch Mountain come to change her. It's all completed, amounting to a little over 37,000 words and 10 chapters. I just need to do some final editing. I will be posting a chapter a day or so. Hint, hint, the more reviews I get, the faster I'll post. ;)  
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_Now, go onward and enjoy!_

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><p><em><strong>Getting Out<strong>_

Brynn double checks the contents of her messenger bag. Three pairs of clothes, check. Beef jerky, check. Crackers, check. Water bottle, check. Entirety of her allowance amounting to $127.38, check. Small pouch of toiletries along with any other necessities, check. It's not a whole lot but it's as much as she can take with her without anyone getting suspicious. It'll just have to do. At least until she gets somewhere far away from here. Maybe she can find a job at some diner. They're more likely than other places to higher sixteen-year-olds. Then she can start building a new life. But first she has to escape. She slides into a black zip hoodie over her blue V-neck shirt and jeans, tightens the laces of her Converses, and slings the strap of her bag over her shoulders. She checks the bag again. Licks her lips nervously. She can do this, she knows she can. But her hands are shaking and if anyone notices her anxiety then she's caught before she ever makes it out of the house. A hand rises to her ribs, ribs that are still black and blue from the last time her father got angry. It wasn't even anything she had done this time. Someone had failed on a job and he took it out on her. She breathes in as deeply as she can without it hurting. This is why she is leaving. She doesn't want this life, not anymore. She's getting out.

Closing her eyes, she buries her fear in the back of her mind until it is nothing but annoying static. When she opens them again they shine a brilliant green, filled with determination. She can do this. She can. Chin raised, she opens the door to her bedroom and casually walks out, down the carpeted hall, past paintings that cost thousands of dollars, and down the gilded staircase. Dotted sporadically around the house are men in black suits with bulges in their jackets where guns are strapped to their sides. Brynn walks past each of them, never making eye contact, pretending that they aren't there until she gets to the study of Mr. Wolfe, the owner of the house.

She knocks three times on the thick wooden door. "Enter," a deep, gruff voice says and she does as she's told, opening the door and slipping inside.

Bookcases line the walls on either side of the room with the far wall entirely made of glass, a window looking out at the backyard of the mansion-like house. And right in front of the window sitting at the large oak desk is Mr. Wolfe, writing something in a ledger in front of him where he records his business dealings. He's a large man in the sense that, even beneath the expensive suit, it is easy to tell that he is quite strong and not someone to be taken lightly, even though most of his short, dark brown hair is now gray and a pair of glasses are perched on his nose. He doesn't look up when she enters and she waits for him, standing completely straight in the middle of the room looking out through the window behind him. A large grassy lawn spreads out behind the house and she can see the pool from here. A little further out she knows there is Mr. Wolfe's own private golf course. And all around there are more guards. She clutches her hands together behind her back. She needs for her plan to work. It's the only way she's getting out of here.

After a few long, terrifying minutes Mr. Wolfe finally puts his pen and glasses down and looks up at her, folding his hands together on the desk. "Why, Brynnley, what can I do for you on this fine morning?"

"I would like to go out, Mr. Wolfe," Brynn says, her voice not sounding nearly as nervous as she feels. This has to work. It has to.

"Oh, really? And where would you like to go?"

Alright. Go time. "I need to go to the library in order to do some research for a paper I have to write for school."

One thick brow arches curiously. "And you can't do your research here, on your own computer?"

"No, sir. My teacher is requiring we use at least two resources not found on the internet. They have to be books."

Mr. Wolfe sighs, rising from his leather chair and circling the desk to stand in front of her. He places his hands on both of her shoulders and she wills herself not to tense at his touch. "Brynnley, you know I don't like it when you leave the house for things other than school. I worry about you."

Her jaw clenches. More like he wants to keep her on a tight leash. "This is for school, Mr. Wolfe. If I don't do this paper, then I could fail the class. It's a big part of my grade."

He sighs again, backing away from her to lean against his desk. "Very well, if you must." He nods towards the door. "You may go. I want you back no later than six though."

"Thank you, Mr. Wolfe." She turns, heads towards the door.

"Oh, and Brynnley?" he calls after her.

She stops, hand on the doorknob, and looks over her shoulder.

"Remember, this is _my_ city. Your mother may have liked to let you do as you please but this is still my house and if you don't abide by my rules there _will_ be consequences."

Her hand tightens on the knob. "Yes, Mr. Wolfe."

He nods and then turns to go back to his desk. She takes this as her cue and leaves the study and all but runs out of the house, not stopping until she is at least five blocks away. Yes, she knows of Mr. Wolfe's consequences. Her mother paid that price with her life when she tried to get out herself, taking a seven-year-old Brynn with her. But Brynn will be successful. She _will_ get out, no matter what.

She continues on foot, knowing there won't be any taxis in this part of the city where there are mostly just rich people with their expensive houses and abundance of cars. She needs to get further into the city, but it doesn't take long. Soon enough there are tall buildings and people and traffic all around her and she breathes it in. She's always loved Las Vegas. The life in this city is so different than what she feels in her own life. It is exhilarating and exciting and all of the things she wishes she could be. It's sad that she's going to have to leave it all behind now in order to get out of Mr. Wolfe's reach, but maybe she can return, one day. Surely they'll stop looking for her eventually.

A hand suddenly grabs her arm, yanking her into the shadows of a nearby alley, and another hand covers her mouth before she can call for help. She looks towards the mouth of the alley with wide eyes but no one even glances her way. One of the vices of a big city is that everyone has their own places to be and their own cares to worry about. No one is going to care about her.

Brynn is shoved to the ground, her back hitting a dumpster, and she looks up into the face of Sebastian, a bald man with dark, sinister eyes, and a malicious grin. One of Mr. Wolfe's men.

"Well, well, well," Sebastian says, reaching into the inner pocket of his suit and pulling out a knife. He likes knives. A lot. When her father wants to punish her, sometimes he'll let Sebastian cut her. "What do we have here? Little miss Brynnley out all alone."

"What do you want, Sebastian?" she says, pushing herself to standing but her legs feel shaky. "Mr. Wolfe said I could go out today."

"Oh, I know he did." He stalks closer, pressing the edge of the blade against her cheek. "Did you really think Mr. Wolfe doesn't have eyes on you at all times, his little pet? He always knows where you go and who you talk to. And Brynnley?" Sebastian steps even closer, until his foul breath ghosts against her ear causing shivers to go down her spine. "The library isn't in this direction."

The knife bites into her skin and she hisses in pain. An image of her mother, screaming as she's shoved into the trunk of a car, begging Brynn's father for mercy, flashes in her eyes. She doesn't want to end up like that.

The knife then disappears, flinging out of Sebastian's hand to smack against the far wall and drops to the ground with a clang.

"What the hell?" Sebastian asks in surprise.

"Back away from her immediately," another voice says and the two of them look towards the mouth of the alley where two teenagers stand no older than Brynn, a boy and a girl. They both have blonde hair so bright it's almost white, the boy's short, the girl's long, and they have the most striking blue eyes. The resemblance between the two is so similar that they definitely have to be siblings but not exactly twins. Fraternal twins maybe? "Back away from her," the boy says again, his voice cold, hard, "now."

Sebastian chuckles darkly, sauntering closer to the twins. "Or what? You really think you can take me on, little boy?"

"We will if we have to," the girl says, completely calm despite facing off with a homicidal psychopath, "but it is in your best interest to leave without any conflict."

"I don't think so." Sebastian raises a fist, swinging the punch straight for the boy's face, but the boy raises a hand and Sebastian's fist hits the boy's palm without making it budge an inch. And by the boys stony face he isn't hurt at all. Instead, Sebastian howls in pain, clutching his hand to his chest. Brynn blinks in surprise. How did the boy do that? It's as if Sebastian just punched a brick wall instead of the boy's hand. Sebastian lets out a string of curses. "I won't be forgetting this." He throws a dark glare at Brynn but then he's gone, running into the crowd of people again.

"Are you okay?" the girl asks as she and the boy walk closer to Brynn.

She nods. "Yeah, thanks. You couldn't have come at a more perfect time."

"Why was that man threatening you?"

"I…He was trying to make me go back home."

"But you do not want to?"

"No, I don't. Not ever."

The girl's brown wrinkles in concern. "Do occurrences like that happen often in your home?"

Brynn swallows thickly. "Yeah, a lot. That's why I'm running away."

But can she really get away? What if Sebastian isn't the only one watching her? And what if Sebastian gets back to Mr. Wolfe before she can make it out of the city? Then the entire gang will be looking for her. No one leaves without Mr. Wolfe's permission. No one.

"Who is Mr. Wolfe, Brynnley?" the girl asks and Brynn blinks in surprise again.

"How do you know that name? How do you know _my_ name?"

"Is he the one endangering you?" the girl asks, ignoring her questions.

Brynn sighs. Maybe she just heard Sebastian talking. "Yeah, he is, and if I don't get out of Vegas before he finds me, then I'm dead."

"You could come with us," the girl says hopefully.

"No," the boy snaps, glaring at the girl. "Bringing this girl with us will only jeopardize the mission."

"But, Seth, she needs help. She does not believe she will make it out of the city before more of Mr. Wolfe's men find her. If we do not assist her, then her life will be in jeopardy. Besides, we are in need of help, too. Perhaps we can help each other."

"If you help me get out of the city, then I swear I'll do whatever you want," Brynn says, jumping at the chance. This could be her ticket out of here. "I'm not good at much, but I'll do whatever I can to help you."

The boy and girl stare at each other for a long time seeming to have an entire conversation with only their eyes. Brynn shifts back and forth on her feet nervously. These two can definitely handle themselves. If they can just go with her part of the way, it would help a lot. Then she'll be fine on her own.

"Fine," the boy grounds out after a while. "She may come with us. But our mission still takes priority."

The girl looks at Brynn with a huge grin. "Excellent. My name is Sara and this is my brother, Seth."

"Well, my name's Brynnley, as you already apparently heard, but I prefer Brynn." Brynn holds out her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

Seth and Sara look at her hand in confusion. "What are you doing?" he asks.

"Offering my hand," Brynn says like it's the most obvious thing in the world. And it should be. "You know, you shake it."

"Why?"

"Because that's what people do when they meet each other?" she says, more of a question than a statement. Have they seriously never heard of shaking hands before?

Sara looks at her brother and then shakes Brynn's hand. Seth follows her example, though his touch is so light it's like he barely touches her.

"Okay then." These are definitely the strangest people she has ever met. "So what do you need help with?"

Both twins turn serious. "We are in need of transportation," Seth says.

"So you're headed somewhere?"

They nod.

"Where to? How far is it?"

"It is a location outside of the city," Sara says with a soft smile. "So if you help us find transportation it will be beneficial for you as well to come with us."

Brynn smiles. Yes it will. Looks like she's getting out of here after all. "Do you guys have any money on you?"

"Yes, as soon as we entered the city we retrieved some of this world's currency."

"Uh, right." They sure do talk funny. "Okay. I have some money too, so between the three of us we should be good. There's a taxi lot not far from here. We can catch a cab as they're leaving."

Together the three of them exit the alley and Brynn leads them down the streets of Las Vegas, now more paranoid than before. She had no idea Mr. Wolfe has been having her followed wherever she goes, although that explains the feelings of being watched she sometimes got. Any minute now another one of Mr. Wolfe's men could grab her and drag her back to that house. Things certainly haven't gone according to plan but she has to get out before she ends up like her mom. And she surely will after this escape attempt.

Sara moves to walk right next to her, taking her hand. "Do not worry, Brynn. I am certain we were brought together for a reason. Everything will be alright."

"How could you possibly know that?" How could she know any of that, or that Brynn was even worrying about it?

Seth comes up to walk on the other side of her. "That is too complicated for your understanding."

Sara looks at her brother disapprovingly. "What my brother is _trying_ to say is not to worry and to please trust us. We will do our best to assure your safety along this journey."

Brynn squeezes Sara's hand. "Well, you guys practically saved my life already so I guess I can go out on a limb."

They round a corner and there is the car lot where a bunch of taxis are parked. One looks about ready to leave but it is being blocked by a black SUV. They are too far away to hear, but the driver of the taxi, a big, Hispanic looking man with a shaved head, seems to be arguing with the owners of the SUV, two men in suits who Brynn immediately recognizes. Brynn comes to a halt as fear grips her chest, keeping her from moving another inch. The twins stop next to her.

"Do those men work for Mr. Wolfe as well?" Sarah asks.

Brynn swallows but her mouth feels like sandpaper. "Yeah, they do. How did they find me again so fast?"

"Do not worry, Brynn. They are not here for you. They are here for that man." Sara points to the taxi driver.

Brynn looks at her in surprise. "How do you know that? Can you read lips or something?"

"Something like that," Seth says defensively. "Come, if we are to acquire transportation we must move quickly."

Before Brynn can protest Seth and Sara move cautiously towards the taxi, keeping low so as not to be spotted by Mr. Wolfe's men. They make it to the car, opening the door and Sara slides inside. Seth looks back at her and motions for her to follow before getting inside himself. She hesitates for a moment, afraid of getting caught, but they seem to be thoroughly occupied by the taxi driver so she hurries to the taxi and climbs in next to Seth, closing the door softly behind her. The three of them buckle up as the driver slams the heads of the two thugs down on the hood of the taxi. Brynn hums to herself, impressed. Mr. Wolfe's thugs aren't exactly pushovers, making her wonder who this guy is. They look ready to fight back though, one of the men reaching for his gun, but then a cop pulls up and forces the two men to get in their car and move along. Once gone, the taxi driver gets into the cab and pulls out. But when he glances up at the rearview mirror he slams on the brakes, turning in his seat to look at them in surprise as cars behind them honk angrily.

"Where'd you come from?" he asks.

"O-outside," Seth answers, confused as to why the man is confused.

"Yeah, I figured that part out on my own," the cabbie says, starting to get annoyed. "How'd you get in the car?"

"Through that portal," Sara says and both she and Seth point to the door they came through. Brynn tries not to laugh. She can't tell if they're being sarcastic or serious in their responses but the guy is not amused.

"I am Seth and this is my sister Sara-"

"And this is our friend, Brynn," Sara cuts in with a smile and Brynn leans around Seth to smile back. Even though they just met Sara called her a friend and seems to genuinely mean it. It's been a while since someone considered her a friend. Everyone at her school knows who her father is and keep a wide berth from her because of it.

Seth continues as if his sister didn't speak and it makes Brynn wonder if he doesn't consider her a friend at all. "We require your transportation services immediately."

"Really?" the cabbie says, getting more annoyed with them. "Well, I require-"

"A currency transaction," Sara finishes for him.

Seth digs into his bag and pulls out a wad of cash to hold out to the driver. Brynn's eyes widen. Holy crap, that's a lot more than what she brought with her. It looks like they have enough money to drive them to Paris. "Will this amount suffice?"

The driver looks at the money and then at the three of them suspiciously. "What did you do, rob a bank?" He only sounds like he's half-kidding.

"Is this acceptable, Jack Bruno?" Sara asks.

Jack's brow furrows. "How'd you know my name?"

Brynn's wondering that too, it's like how Sara knew her name before she introduced herself, but Sara just wordlessly points to Jack's taxi permit where his name and picture are printed. Brynn feels like she should have known it already herself. The name and the man's face are both really familiar to her, she just can't place them.

"If we have a deal for your services," Seth says, "we must move forward rapidly. It is urgent we get to our destination without any more delay." He casts Brynn a glare at that last part and she shrinks away from him a little. Was helping her really that much trouble? Where is it that they're going that's so important?

"Seth," Sara chastises in a whisper. "It was your idea to help her in the first place."

Wait, if it was his idea, then why is he so mad at her? Is it because Sara insisted on bringing her along after saving her?

Seth ignores his sister, looking back to Jack. "So will you take us?"

Jack looks out the windshield, debating briefly with himself, and then he says loudly at the honking cars, "Alright, alright, I'm going." He looks back at them one more time and then gets the cab moving once again. "Where to?"

Seth pulls out a strange device from his bag, messing with the buttons and screen as if he's searching from something. What is it, some kind of fancy GPS?

"I need an address," Jack says impatiently.

"We must travel in that direction," Sara says, pointing forward and slightly to the right.

"We're going to need something a little more specific than just 'that direction.'"

Seth finally finds what he's looking for on the device and reads, "We must locate latitude 40.54 cross-intersecting longitude-"

Jack holds up a hand to stop him. "We're just going to stick with 'that direction.'"

With at least a direction, if not an exact destination, now set, Brynn sinks back into her seat, watching the city go by for the last time in what will probably, hopefully, be years. She was born and raised in Las Vegas, and the idea of never seeing it again is something that she can't quite get her head around. This is her home. It's all she knows. Will she really be able to build something new for herself, by herself? But then she sees the sign at the end of Vegas, "Drive Carefully, Come Back Soon," and they're passing it, and then it's gone. It's all behind them. She turns in her seat, staring out of the back window, watching her home get smaller and smaller, further and further away.

"This your first time leaving Vegas, kid?" Jack asks and it's that one word, "kid", spoken in his voice that gets to her, that draws the memory forward from when she was little and her mother was still alive, of a man behind the wheel of a fast car doing deliveries for Mr. Wolfe. He was nice to her. He gave her a mint as he past her by to go into Mr. Wolfe's office. _"Hey, kid, I've got something you might like. Here you go."_

Jack Bruno, the one man who actually did get out, and who Mr. Wolfe has been trying to get back ever since.

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_

_Alright, first chapter done. Brynn gets away from Mr. Wolfe and his men and we meet the main characters of the movie. As you can see, this story is going to have changes and add-ins from the original movie as I accommodate it to fit Brynn and her own story. Also, I'm taking the SethXBrynn as slow as possible. I'm not into the whole fairy tale, they meet, fall in love, and live happily ever after in one day type of deal, but the movie timeline is limited. I think I make it work well enough, though, to satisfy both you and myself.  
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_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	2. Truth and Trust

_**Author's Note**_

_Hello, everyone! As promised, here is another chapter. Everyone who is liking this story so far, thank you very much. Your support is very much appreciated. In this chapter we have the car chase scene, another little look into Brynn's life, and Brynn finds out the truth about Seth and Sara._

_Now, go onward and enjoy!_

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><p><em><strong>Truth and Trust<strong>_

Brynn gasps, clutching the headrest of her seat tightly in both hands. Jack, he used to work for Mr. Wolfe. He knows her. Knows who she is. _Whose_ she is. She doesn't think he's recognized her yet, but if he does? What will he do? He might take her back to Mr. Wolfe, use her as a bargaining chip to get Mr. Wolfe to never bother him again. She can't let that happen.

"Hey, kid, you okay?" Jack asks, concern in his voice.

Brynn takes in a shaky breath and lets it out slowly. "Yeah," she says, still facing the back window of the cab, "I'm fine. It's just that, yeah, this is my first time leaving Vegas."

"Don't worry, kid, the first time's the hardest. You'll be back home again before you know it."

She turns back around in her seat to face forward again, praying beyond hope that his words won't end up becoming truth.

"Brynn," Sara says quietly from the other side of Seth, quiet enough so Jack won't hear. "Brynn, it is alright."

"But, Sara," Brynn whispers, looking at her with wide, terrified eyes. "You don't understand-"

"Yes, I do." Sara gives her a small smile. "He can be trusted."

Seth huffs but doesn't say anything. Still, Brynn decides to trust Sara's judgment. Though how she knew to give it, Brynn has no idea. It's like she's psychic or something. But she pushes all of that from her mind, sinking back into the seat again and deciding to talk as little as possible so as to not draw Jack's attention. She was really little when she last saw him, no more than six, but there is still a chance he could recognize her.

The trip is long and mostly silent, only with the occasional whispers between Seth and Sara. She debates on asking them exactly where it is they are going and what their "mission" is but wonders if it's really worth it. Based on Seth's attitude towards her, they're probably just going to leave her as soon as they get to wherever it is they're going, leaving Brynn on her own again. The thought makes her chest constrict uncomfortably. When Sara called her a friend she had hoped they really could be. Maybe she and Sara could be, but that probably won't ever happen with Seth. No, most likely after this ride she won't ever see them again. Brynn better get used to the idea now, just like she has to get used to the idea of possibly never seeing Las Vegas again.

In order to help pass the time and bury her thoughts, Brynn pulls out her notebook and a pencil and starts flipping through to find a blank page.

Seth looks over curiously, getting a look at the pages. "You are an artist?"

Brynn pauses her flipping, a self-conscious blush rising to her cheeks. "Uh, yeah, I like to draw. Usually with just a normal pencil, but I, uh, used to have some colored pencils as well."

Those, unfortunately, were among the items she had to veto bringing with her.

"May we see?" Sara asks and Brynn reluctantly passes the notebook over. She doesn't usually let people see her drawings. Then again, no one usually asks to see them. Sara slowly skims through the pages, holding the book so her brother can see them as well. "These are quite good."

Brynn scoffs. "No, they're mediocre at best and never of anything good. It's usually just what I can see from my bedroom window or…or the people around the house." She glances at Jack, glad he seems to not be able to see them, though his eyes keep darting back to try to get a look. Hopefully he doesn't see the ones she's done of Mr. Wolfe's men or her father. Jack would recognize them for sure.

"Who is this?" Sara hands the notebook back to her, the pages flipped to a drawing Brynn looks at often. It's a woman, lounging on the couch in the living room of Mr. Wolfe's house and staring out the window. It's done in colored pencil so that Brynn could capture as much detail as possible. Like the shimmering brown of her hair, the dusting of freckles across her cheeks, the way her green eyes stare out the window in longing.

"It's my mother," Brynn says quietly, stroking a finger across the drawing. She had to draw this from an old photograph her father has, taken sometime after Brynn was born, only working an hour at a time so she could return the photo to her father's room before he noticed it was missing.

"Oh," Sara says, eyes turning soft and sad. "I am sorry for your loss."

Brynn looks up at her, surprised that she knows that her mother is dead, but then again it's probably obvious from the moisture starting to build in her eyes. She blinks it away. "Thanks."

"So," Sara says after a few moments of silence, trying to bring the conversation back to the bright and cheerful, "what were you planning to draw?"

"I don't know." She looks out at the scenery around them, at the dry dirt, sparse bushes, cacti, and mountains. She could do a general sketch of it but it would be hard since they're constantly moving. She needs something more stationary. "I could draw you guys."

"Oh, please do!" Sara says excitedly and even Seth looks a little interested.

"Um, okay." She finds a blank page and situates herself into the corner of the cab, angling herself towards the others. "I'll do Seth first since he's the easiest for me to see."

"What must I do?" he asks, surprisingly up for being a model for her.

"Just lean back, move your head to the left, and don't move." Once he's positioned himself how she wants him she puts her pencil to the paper, creating a profile of Seth from the shoulders up. She's nervous at first, afraid of messing it up in the jostling of the car or that Seth will criticize her once it's finished, but over time she looses herself in the familiar movements of the pencil in her hand, how it glides across the paper, and the feel of the graphite on her skin as she smudges it to create shadow and depth. She's not sure how much time passes, but when she tells Seth he can move again and shows him and his sister her work he rotates his head back and forth to work out the stiffness in his neck.

"This is wonderful!" Sara says with a huge grin. "It is a very accurate depiction of Seth. Will you do me next?"

"Yeah, sure." She looks down at her notebook as she flips to a blank page again so she isn't looking at Seth when he speaks.

"It really is good," he says, and she can hear it in his voice that he means it. It's the most sincere thing he's said to her since they met instead of his usual stony coldness.

She smiles to herself and gets to work on Sara's drawing.

She's about halfway through with the portrait when the counter for the fare reads close to $400 and Jack decides to speak up.

"Are your parents going to be okay with you guys spending all this money?" he asks.

Brynn pauses in her drawing as Seth leans forward in his seat. "We have previously agreed upon our financial deal," he insists in annoyance. "If your concern is regarding your compensation-"

"My concern," Jack interjects, "is the fact that I got a couple of kids in the back of my cab with a big wad of cash, with a drop-off location that's pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Now in my book that's a little chapter called running away."

Brynn squirms in her seat trying to stay out of the line of sight of the rearview mirror and glad that she is the one sitting behind Jack. She's not sure what Seth and Sara are doing, but she really is running away. If he decides he doesn't like this anymore, will he turn the cab around and take them back to Vegas?

Before Jack can say more a voice comes in over the radio. "Jack, you better be getting desert miles on that fare. And they better be able to pay. And you better get me an ETA, capiche?"

Jack picks up the mic to the radio and says, "I'm losing reception, Dominick." Then he hangs up on him.

Seth and Sara suddenly look behind them out the back window and then look at each other with concern. And no little amount of fear. Brynn looks behind them but sees nothing.

"Jack Bruno," Sara says, "the vehicles behind us are indicating a pattern of pursuit."

"There's no vehicles following-" he stops short as he looks in the rearview mirror and Brynn turns to look behind them again. Coming over the horizon is a black SUV, one that reminds Brynn an awful lot of the one at the taxi lot that morning that Mr. Wolfe's men were driving.

"At your current rate of speed versus theirs" Seth says, "they will overtake our vehicle in less than one minute."

"Relax, kid, I'm just gonna let 'em pass," Jack says without any worries. Sara and Seth exchange concerned glances again and Brynn knows they aren't just going to pass. Jack slows the car down, allowing the SUV to catch up to them. When they still don't go around them Jack rolls down his window and waves them on. "Open road, people! It's all yours!"

The SUV speeds up to drive alongside them, revealing yet another SUV still driving behind them. Brynn peers through the windows but they are tinted too darkly for her to see who's inside. She prays Sebastian isn't in one of those cars. The car fully passes them, merging into their lane again in front of them, and Brynn breathes a sigh of relief. Maybe Jack was right after all. But then the SUV steps on the breaks, fishtailing to block off the road. The other SUV slams hard into the back door Brynn sits next to, denting the metal and causing them to go into a spin. Now she can see that there's not jut two of them but three. Jack gets control of the car again and speeds around the stopped car to race ahead, the three SUVs tailing after them.

"I said I was out and I meant it!" Jack shouts angrily, more to the men chasing them than to his passengers.

"Will one of you please explain who exactly Mr. Wolfe is?" Sara says, worry filling her voice.

"How do you know that name?" One of the cars slams into the rear of the cab, causing the back end to raise in the air a little and slam back down. "Get down, now!"

They do as they're told, ducking down with their arms over their heads. The SUVs knock into them again and again, making them feel like a pinball. One of them hits Brynn's side of the car hard again and Jack jerks the wheel to the right, pushing the SUV out of the way. As he does so Brynn's door goes flying open. The latch must have become broken or something from the constant banging. It slams open and shut, open and shut, as Jack drives, the wind roaring about the car, and during another hard swerve, forcing another SUV off the road, Brynn's notebook falls from where it had been sitting next to her. She holds her breath but it doesn't fall out of the car. It's perched precariously in the doorway. She reaches for it, stretching her arm as far as she can, but the seatbelt is locked around her, constricting her movements so she can't bend down as far as she needs to. Paying no heed to her safety she unbuckles her seatbelt so that she can grab her notebook before it falls.

Then Jack swerves again and Brynn, along with her notebook clutched in her hands, goes tumbling out the door.

There's no time to scream. She's airborne for only seconds and all she has time to do is tuck herself into a ball before she's crashing into the asphalt, the air knocked from her lungs. The momentum of the moving cab sends her rolling, her pants and jacket tearing. When she comes to a stop all she can see are stars and they refuse to stop spinning. The sound of loud revving causes everything to snap back into focus real quick though. The last SUV is coming, the other two lying on their sides thanks to Jack's aggressive driving. She sits up, her head swimming slightly, but she can see the SUV that is coming straight for her and the driver does not have enough time to stop and she does not have time to get out of the way. So this is it? Mr. Wolfe won't be punishing her, no last warning, just straight to death, run over like roadkill in the Nevada desert? She closes her eyes, clutching her notebook tightly to her chest. _See you soon_, she thinks to herself, hoping that wherever she is, her mother can hear her.

Then there are arms around her and the smell of pine trees. She opens her eyes to see the front of a white shirt and she pulls back in horror to get a better look at Seth, kneeling in front of her. He can't do this, he has to get away. He doesn't have to die, just her. Then they can finish their mission. But he tightens his hold on her and she looks over his shoulder and it's too late. The car is here. Brynn looks into his eyes again, expecting to see the same fear she feels detonating in her chest but there is calm in his clear blue eyes. No, wait, there _is_ fear, but not the fear of death. She can't name it though. They are still staring into each other's eyes when the car crashes into Seth's back. But it does not break him. _He_ breaks the car, the front of the SUV getting crushed as if it had just hit a brick wall. Just like Sebastian's fist when it hit Seth's hand. Pieces of metal spew out in every direction, the car flipping over their heads, but they are fine.

How?

Seth lets her go, moving his hands to grasp her shoulders so tight it's almost painful, and he looks at her sternly. Whatever she saw in his eyes is gone now, masked by anger. At her. "Is there a problem with your brain's ability to function? What were you thinking?"

Brynn looks down at her notebook, tightening her grip. "It's all I have left of her," she answers quietly.

His grip loosens on her. She doesn't look up but she can hear a car approaching, probably the cab since all of the SUVs are now trashed. "Come," Seth says, much more softly now, "we must leave this place immediately."

Seth helps her to stand and they reach the cab just as it stops inches from the flipped car. He makes her get in first and then he slips in after her.

"You guys okay back there?" Jack asks, appearing not to have noticed Brynn's brush with death or Seth's performance. Or that they even left the car.

"We are fine," Seth says. "We should just keep moving."

Instead, Jack gets out of the car to go talk to the men in the SUV behind them. Brynn takes the opportunity to turn on the twins. "What is going on?"

"Jack Bruno appears to still be under the impression that these men were sent by Mr. Wolfe," Sara says.

"How do you even know that?" She turns to Seth. "And how did you do that thing with the car?" How have they done a lot of the things they've done since she met them? These are two complete strangers she's run away with, but Sara has known things she shouldn't. Seth has shown a strength far surpassing what he should be capable of. None of this is normal. _They_ are not normal. "Who…Who are you?"

"You already know the answer, Brynn," Sara says quietly.

Brynn swallows thickly, looking back and forth between them for signs that they are just pulling her leg, but they are completely serious. And that unnameable fear is back in Seth's eyes. "So you're not…normal?"

"We are not," Seth says, his voice tight, strained.

"Okay. Not normal." She wipes her sweaty palms on the legs of her jeans. "I really want to say magic but I know that probably isn't logical. So…are you…human?"

"We are not," Seth says again.

"Are you…alien?"

"That is correct," Sara says, drawing Brynn's attention. "We are indeed not from this planet."

And Brynn's mind may just break a little. Holy crap, they're aliens. She's run away with a couple of aliens. She's sitting next to _a couple of aliens_. There are so many thoughts running through her mind, from a complete freak-out to utter excitement, but the one that slips out is, "Man, that explains a _whole_ lot."

"You are not surprised?" Sara asks curiously.

"You are not…frightened?" Seth adds.

"Surprised? Yes. Frightened? No." Brynn gives them both an encouraging smile. "I mean, I didn't know anything about you this morning but I ran away with you. For all I knew, you could have been a couple of psychopaths. Finding out you're aliens doesn't change anything. It just means I know a little more about you now. And you've saved my life. Multiple times." She looks at Seth. "It couldn't have been easy for you to expose your secret just to save my life. Thank you."

"You," Seth says slowly, "are a very strange human."

"Well, you probably don't know many, so for all _you_ know I'm completely normal for a human."

Before she can ask more, Jack gets back into the car and gets them moving again. When they're a good distance away he looks into the rearview mirror and asks, "How you guys holding up back there?"

"We're fine," Brynn says.

Jack's brow furrows. "Weren't you and Seth switched before?"

"Uh, yeah, we were, but the door is kind of broke so Seth made me switch seats with him."

"What's wrong with the door?"

"My holding onto the handle is currently the only thing keeping it closed," Seth deadpans.

"Seriously?" Jack takes a look over his shoulder and sighs deeply. With eyes still on the road, he digs into the glove box and hands Brynn a first aid kit. "See if there's anything in there you can use to tie it shut."

She opens the box, digging through the bandages until she finds a roll of gauze. This should work. With Seth holding the door closed as best he can with both hands, Brynn secures gauze to both the door handle and the handle on the ceiling of the car, pulling it as tight as possible and wrapping it a few times for good measure. The door still knocks back and forth, opening and closing slightly, but at least it won't fly open without Seth holding onto it now. "That'll have to do."

Seth grabs the first aid kit from her lap and looks through the contents. "We should use these supplies to take care of your wounds."

"Wait, you're hurt?" Jack asks worriedly. "I thought you said you were fine?"

"I am fine," Brynn says firmly. Honestly, she doesn't need babying. She can take care of herself and she's certainly had worse than this before. "It's just a couple of scratches because of the, uh, door. It's nothing."

"It is not nothing, Brynn," Sara says, her big eyes pleading. "Please, let us take care of you."

Brynn sighs deeply. Sara has some really effective doe-eyes. "Alright."

Seth passes some bandages and antiseptic wipes to Sara and together they get to work on her various scrapes, helping her to pull her jacket off, now just a piece of scrap held together by threads. Her shirt is mostly okay and her jeans only have a couple of tears. She can change into new clothes later. Underneath, it's mostly just road rash. Brynn considers herself extremely lucky she didn't get a broken bone.

"I'm sorry I dragged you three into all of this," Jack says apologetically.

"There is no need for you to apologize, Jack Bruno," Sara says, guilt twinging her voice as she wipes down one of Brynn's cuts. The antiseptic stings but Brynn does no more than twinge slightly. "You are not always the one to blame."

"But the urgency of our trip has not decreased," Seth presses.

"Look, don't worry, I'll get you to where you need to go. You've earned it."

_So if those guys weren't sent by Mr. Wolfe, then were they after Seth and Sara?_ Brynn wonders.

Sara looks up from her work and nods.

Brynn's eyes widen. _Can you read my thoughts?_

Sara smiles and nods again.

_That is so cool._

Her smile widens and she places a hand on Brynn's arm next to one of the new bandages. _I can also send my thoughts through physical contact,_ Sara's voice echoes in her head without Sara moving her lips.

Seth's fingers ghost across her skin as he starts on another scrape and then it is his voice Brynn hears in her head, _The ability can be passed to others through physical contact as well._

_Wow,_ Brynn says in awe. _So can we talk like this?_

_Yes, we can,_ Sara says. _And let me take this moment to apologize to you. We should not have let this happen._

_Hey, it's not your fault._

_Yes, it is. We promised to keep you safe and we failed. Please forgive us, Brynn._

Brynn takes Sara's hand and squeezes. _Nothing to forgive._ She looks to Seth. _Either of you._

Seth doesn't reply but Sara gives her a grateful smile.

_Okay, so, those guys weren't after me or Jack, but you guys?_

_Yes,_ Seth says._ These humans wish to capture us, which we cannot allow. We must complete our mission._

_What do they want?_

_To experiment on us,_ Sara says.

Seth's face turns dark. _It is why we have vowed never to trust humans._

_You know,_ Brynn says gently, _we're not all like that._

Seth places a bandage on her last wound and starts to pack up the first aid kit while still keeping the fingers of one hand pressed lightly to her arm. _I will believe it when I experience it with my own eyes._

_Have I not proved it enough?_

He pauses in his movements and his eyes find hers. They are guarded but Brynn can still barely see that unknown fear in them. _I already consider you a strange human but that is not enough to build trust._

_Alright,_ she says with determination. _I guess I'll just have to keep trying to prove it to you then._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_

_So now Brynn knows the truth! And her and Seth are getting closer. I'm still not going to make it so easy for them though. Cause I'm evil like that.  
><em>

_I hope Brynn falling out of the car was realistic enough. I've seen stuff like that happen in movies and stuff but, I don't know, I'm still not sure I'm totally happy with it. Oh well, good enough for fanfiction I suppose. Hopefully you liked it anyway._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	3. Beginning of a Long Night

_**Author's Note**_

_And here is yet another chapter. And a disclaimer, since last night I realized I didn't do it for this story yet: I do not own Race to Witch Mountain. I only own my OCs.  
><em>

_So, go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Beginning of a Long Night<strong>_

The trip stays silent as Jack continues to drive on to Seth's and Sara's mystery location. It isn't until right before dusk and the sky is beginning to darken into deep blues when Sara looks up hopefully.

"We are here, Jack Bruno," Sara says, looking eagerly into the distance.

"Here?" Jack asks skeptically. "There's nothing here."

They round a bend and then at the bottom of the hill a house comes into view. It looks old, rundown, more like an old shack than a house really. And there are no signs of life. Still, Seth and Sara look at each other with excitement.

Jack pulls up to the house and brings the cab to a stop. "There's somebody expecting you guys, right? It doesn't look like anyone's home."

"Don't worry, Jack Bruno," Sara says, eyes never leaving the house. "We will soon be reunited with relatives."

The way Sara says it, though, and the sadness evident in her voice, Brynn can't help but wonder if there really are relatives in that house. She's heard people talk like that before, those who have crossed Mr. Wolfe and are not expected to live much longer. They get reunited with relatives, but only through death.

Jack starts to tell them how much money they owe for the trip, but Sara and Seth pay him no mind, just giving him all of the cash they have, well over the $720.50, and exit the car. Brynn scrambles to go after them, making sure to grab her messenger bag in her haste. She follows them inside the house, wondering just what it is she is getting herself into but she can't bring herself to leave them now. Not after everything.

Inside the house, everything is trashed with pieces of broken furniture strewn about everywhere. Mess like this doesn't just happen on its own and Brynn starts to get nervous.

"So," she whispers, somehow not able to talk louder than that even though it is just the three of them there. Hopefully. "Why are we here exactly?"

"To complete our mission," Seth says quietly as they move slowly about the room heading towards the back of the house. Apprehension is thick in the air and Brynn is glad she is not the only one with a bad feeling.

"But what is that exactly?"

There's a loud crash somewhere else in the house and they freeze. Seth grabs her arm and pulls her down to hide behind a couch, Sara crouching down next to her.

"I knew we should not have brought you with us," Seth says, his voice still quiet but she can feel the anger and frustration in it.

"And where else was I supposed to go?" she whispers back, her own voice getting annoyed. "When you said I could come with you I thought you were headed to a different city, not the middle of nowhere."

"You could have used the excess money to go wherever you pleased."

"Not happening." She shifts on her heels until she is sitting on the floor. "I'm staying right here. You guys said you needed help, so I'm going to give it. Even if I can't do much."

Seth's jaw clenches. "Just leave. We don't need your help."

"No, I'm not abandoning you."

There's a squeak as the front door opens and closes and they go silent. Footsteps move about the room, getting closer and closer to their hiding spot. Jack comes into view and Seth touches his leg to get his attention. The touch ends up startling Jack and he swings what looks like a broken chair leg at Seth, not realizing who they are at first, but it passes harmlessly right through his shoulder. Brynn already knows Sara can read minds. She wonders what it is Seth can do.

Jack crouches in front of them. "What just happened?"

Seth shushes for him to be quieter and then pulls out the strange device from earlier and starts fiddling with it.

"Jack Bruno, you should not have jeopardized your life by following us," Sara says.

"What sort of trouble are you guys in?" he asks, looking at Brynn.

She shrugs her shoulders. "I have no idea. I know as much as you do."

"I thought you guys were friends. I picked you up together."

Sara says, "She is our friend," at the same time Seth says, "We just met her this morning."

Jack's eyebrows rise in surprise. "You just met these two this morning and you're running around with them without knowing what they're up to?"

"Not the point." Even though Brynn would really like to know what _is_ going on. "Look, it's a long story, but now's not the time."

Seth looks up from what his is doing to glare at Jack. "I suggest you return back to your vehicle. Your services are no longer required."

"Seth, he's just trying to help," Sara insists.

"We don't need any help. Somebody's already been here looking for it." He turns softer, more vulnerable. "We simply cannot trust any of them. Just us, Sara."

The twins stare at each other for a moment but then Sara turns to Jack resolutely. "We appreciate you efforts to assist us, Jack Bruno, but my brother is right. We can involve you no further."

Seth's eyes go to Brynn. "You should leave as well."

"I don't think so," Brynn says. "I promised I would help you and I intend to keep that promise. I'm going to prove to you that humans can be trusted."

If this turns out to be the only thing she can really do to help them, to help Seth, proving that humans can be trusted, well, at least it'll be something.

He looks ready to argue with her more but then the device in his hands beeps and he looks down at it. "Got it."

"Let's go," Sara says and together the three of them move further into the house, stopping in the kitchen in front of the refrigerator. Seth opens the door and then places the device on the fridge's side.

"What is that?" Jack asks, apparently deciding to not listen to Seth's and Sara's warning.

No one answers him. After Seth presses a few buttons the device beeps again and the entire inside of the fridge backs up and moves away to create a doorway into a tunnel. They head inside into what looks like some sort of storage space. Seth puts the device on the back wall and, just like with the fridge, a section of the wall lifts away to reveal another doorway leading to another tunnel, this one made of stone and not seeming to be part of the actual house. On the other end of the tunnel, Brynn sees that it's a massive cave. And inside that cave is some sort of small underground forest. She looks around, wide-eyed and mouth open slightly in awe. It's straight out of a Jules Verne novel. There are trees and bushes and ferns everywhere and dotting between them are these glowing pods hanging down from the ceiling by what looks like some kind of crystal pillars. They head inside, following Seth's device. As far as Brynn can tell, they're looking for something. But what could be hidden inside this little jungle?

Brynn's foot catches on a root and she stumbles, landing hard on the compact dirt. Fresh pain blossoms across her chest and she bites down on her lip to keep from crying out. She's done well so far to ignore the bruises on her ribs her father gave her a few days ago, but they were made worse when they were attacked on the road. Now the fall has brought it to the forefront of her mind, forcing her to take slow, even breaths in order to push it back again.

"Are you alright?" Sara asks, holding out a helping hand. Brynn takes it, allowing Sara to help pull her to her feet. She tries not to show any sign that she's in pain but she winces a little. Sara notices. "Are you hurt?"

Seth, who had been waiting impatiently for them staring at his device, snaps his head to them. "What is wrong?"

"I'm fine," Brynn grinds out, teeth clenched. She presses a hand to her ribs, trying to will the pain away.

"She appears to have sustained injuries to her ribs," Sara answers for her. "They are bruised."

Mind reading. Not so cool anymore.

Brynn lowers her hand and forces on a smile. "I told you, I'm fine."

"You're in pain," Seth says in frustration, eyes darting to the plants around them. "You told us you only sustained scrapes in the accident. Why did you not tell us you had further injuries?"

Brynn averts her eyes from them. "I didn't get these from the accident. I got them before."

Neither of the twins say anything, but Sara takes Brynn's hand and squeezes it gently.

"Here it is." Seth picks a few leaves from one of the plants and hands them to Brynn. "Eat these."

She wrinkles her nose in disgust. "Seriously? Why?"

"It is a plant from our planet. Its leaves, when ingested, are an effective pain reliever."

Sara gives her a nod of encouragement, so Brynn takes a deep breath and puts the leaves in her mouth. When she takes the first bite the taste almost makes her gag. "Oh my gosh this is gross."

"Chew." Seth orders and she does as she's told. "Now swallow."

She swallows the horrid gunk down and wipes at her mouth. "That is the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted."

Seth smirks. Not quite a smile, but it's close. "Good medicine never tastes good."

She laughs. "Well, that's something both our planets have in common. Though that stuff was way nastier than what I took when I had strep throat in third grade." A cold, numbing tingling starts to spread through her body, especially at her ribs, and she sighs in relief. "But at least this stuff is fast-acting so I guess that makes up for it. Thank you."

The smirk disappears and the serious face is back. But there is an earnestness in his eyes. "Thank me by telling us when you are hurting next time." He then continues on into the jungle.

Jack's voice sounds from somewhere behind them as he tries to find them and Brynn looks back, wondering if she should call out to him, but the amused look on Sara's face distracts her. "What?" she asks.

"Nothing," Sara says simply, going after her brother with a smile and taking Brynn's hand as she passes. "I just heard the beginnings of something I thought I would never hear."

"What was it?"

"Oh, you will find out soon enough."

"Sara, it's here!" Seth calls out and the two girls, along with Jack, join him at one of the pods, this one coming out of the ground. Sara takes off her necklace and places it on one of the bubbles in the pod. It beeps and then Sara sticks her hand into the bubble, reaching around in the slimy thing until she finds what she's looking for and pulls it out. It's another strange device, similar to the one Seth holds but smaller and without a screen. Sara smiles happily.

"What is it?" Jack asks.

Sara turns to him excitedly. "It is what we came for, Jack Bruno."

"Really? Is anyone else looking for it?" Seth and Sara look at each other, worry replacing excitement. "Say, the person who trashed everything upstairs?"

"We think so," Seth says. "It is very valuable, which is why it was so vital we locate it first."

"What makes you so sure that whoever else wanted it isn't still looking for it?"

A loud noise echoes throughout the jungle and they're all instantly on high alert. They stay silent, listening for it again, but when they hear nothing Jack urges them back towards the tunnel. Twigs and branches snap. The sound of heavy footsteps on fallen leaves. They back up slowly, Jack putting himself between the three of them and the noise, but it seems to come from everywhere. They form a circle, backs pressed together, and wait for whatever it is coming for them. There's a loud crash and Jack yells for them to run.

They take off, losing Jack almost as soon as they start running, but they do not stop, afraid that they will be found. Jack suddenly goes flying out in front of them and Brynn pulls the other two down to hide behind some bushes. The stomping of boots gets closer as Jack hides too, and then they can see what it is that's chasing them. A man covered in some sort of black armor. Definitely not human. A gun pops out of the top of his right arm and he fires at one of the hanging pods. The pod explodes into blue flames on impact, the fire spreading to other pods, setting off a chain reaction of explosions, and they run towards the tunnel again. The jungle catches fire and there are explosions all around them and fear is exploding inside of her and Brynn never thought she'd die for almost complete strangers she just met this morning.

But they're her friends.

A pod explodes right next to them and they are sent flying through the air, knocking to the ground with a hard thud. They quickly get their feet back under them and continue to run. The smoke starts to become thick and they pause, searching both for Jack and the way out. The armored man suddenly comes out of the smoke behind Sara, knocking the device she retrieved from the pod out of her hand. Seth tries to help her but he is shoved to the side. The man reaches down to pick up the device but Brynn dives for it, grabbing it first. He backhands her, a blow that is ten times stronger than when her father does it, and as her body soars through the air again from the impact, the darkness snatches her away.

Sound drifts back to her consciousness. First only muffled noises and murmurs, but then something distinct. Her name. Brynn can hear someone calling her name. It must be Sara. She tries to tell Sara to go away, she wants to sleep more, but her mouth won't work. Huh. That's odd. It was working before. She tries to decide whether or not she should try to tell Sara she wants to sleep or just go back to sleep anyway when she hears her name again. Only this time she can tell that it's not Sara. The voice is too masculine to be Sara. She thinks maybe it's Jack, but Jack's voice is a lot deeper than this voice. Seth. It's Seth's voice. Why is Seth saying her name? He's never said it before. Then she remembers. Oh, yeah. She got smacked upside the head by a weird robot guy in black armor. And with that thought comes the pain. She aches absolutely _everywhere_, but especially her head. She groans, and it actually feels like the sound reaches her vocal cords this time.

"Brynn?" Seth asks, voice full of concern, which is really weird for him. Even when he was concerned before it didn't sound quite like this. This is more sincere. More real. Like she's finally touched something he's been trying to keep at a distance from her. "Brynn, can you hear me?"

"Did we win?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper but at least it works.

Jack snorts. "If by win you mean get away from the mini Transformer? Yeah, we won. That guy's long gone."

"Awesome." She forces her eyes open. She's propped up in the back seat of the cab between Seth and Sara, Jack behind the wheel taking them far away from the danger as fast as he can. "So, besides me feeling like I really did get run over by one of those SUVs from earlier, are we all in one piece?"

"Everyone else is well," Sara says with a small smile but it does not reach her eyes.

Brynn frowns. "Then why do you look like someone stole your cookie?"

"We lost the device," Seth says somberly, looking emptily into his hands sitting in his lap. "We failed our mission."

"Oh, please." Brynn pushes herself up to sit straighter in her seat. Everything feels kind of sore but the more she moves the more it lessens, the medicine she took still in her system and keeping it at bay. "Did you really think I'd risk my neck against Megatron just to come out empty-handed?" She reaches behind her and goes beneath her shirt to pull the device out from the waistband of her jeans.

"You've got the device!" Sara says, happiness and relief flowing over her as she takes the device from Brynn and holds it tightly in her hands.

"We did it, Sara," Seth says with a big grin, the first real smile Brynn's seen from him. "We've retrieved it. Our mission is almost complete." He turns that smile to her and it does funny things to her stomach. "Thank you, Brynn. You do not even know what this device is, yet you risked your life to save it."

"Is it going to blow up the planet?" Brynn asks.

Seth and Sara exchange confused glances. "Uh, no," Sara says. "It will do quite the opposite. It will help us save your planet."

"Then I'm good." She smiles at them. "You guys have already saved me a bunch of times in just one day. It was about time I returned the favor, even if I can't do a whole lot to help you guys. Besides, you're my friends. My _only_ friends actually. You can tell me everything that's going on when you're ready."

Jack slams on the brakes, startling them, and pulls off to the side of the road. He turns in his seat to scowl at them. "Well _I_ am _not_ good. Here's the deal: the cab doesn't move until your mouths do. So start talking."

Seth scowls right back. "The information you are seeking is not within your grasp of understanding."

"We are dealing with issues outside the realm of…your world," Sara adds.

"Hey, I'm a cab driver, okay?" Jack says, sounding slightly insulted. "I have had plenty of worldly exper…experiences." Jack's gaze is looking out the back window of the car and the others turn to look. There is a light coming towards them in the fog. And it is too high to be the headlights of a car.

Brynn squints at the object coming towards them, afraid to ask but she does anyway. "Is that a flying saucer?"

"Sara, we have to go!" Seth yells and Sara shoves her hand forward, palm out. The cab starts to accelerate at top speed and Jack scrambles to take the wheel. Something shoots out from the saucer and explodes way too close to the cab for comfort, some sort of laser beam. Jack dodges the blasts, sending them off-road and down the slope of the hill onto railroad tracks. The fog is thick down here and they can barely see anything, but the saucer appears to be gone. Jack turns off the headlights and cautiously continues down the tracks until they get to a small tunnel where he parks.

"We can't let him destroy it, Sara," Seth says quietly.

"Who is 'he'?" Jack asks. "And this time I need real answers."

"It's a Siphon," Sara says.

"A what?"

"He's an assassin," Seth says, "trained to pursue his target until his mission is completed."

"And his mission is…?"

Blue lights shine down just outside the tunnel in front of them.

"Us," Sara finishes for him and they watch in silent horror as the lights get closer and closer. Brynn doesn't need to be an alien to know that once that light shines on them the Siphon will know where they are. Jack's hand reaches towards the ignition, ready to turn the car on if they are caught, but then the lights stop short and the Siphon moves on. There is a collective sigh of relief. Everyone finally takes in a deep breath again and Jack restarts the car to keep moving along the tracks.

"Is there a safer route, Jack Bruno?" Sara asks as they move alongside a cliff.

"Not unless you know how to fly," Jack answers.

Something moves out in the fog over the cliff, catching Brynn's eye. "Uh, guys? I think there's something out there."

Sure enough, the saucer rises up out of the fog, firing at the back of the cab. Jack steps on it, taking them into a narrow tunnel, but the saucer follows after them even though it is such a tight fit. Then, at the other end of the tunnel there is a loud horn and a single light heading straight for them.

"Oh, come on!" Jack says.

"Faster!" Seth yells.

"It won't go any faster!"

"_Make _it go faster!" Brynn yells back as the train gets closer and so does the Siphon.

Sara throws her hand out in front of her again and the car suddenly gains speed. Brynn holds her breath and barely, just barely, with the cab getting scraped by the train as they pass, they make it out of the tunnel and off of the tracks. The Siphon and train aren't so lucky though as they collide, the train ripping off of the tracks. Jack keeps them going as fast as he can, narrowly missing train compartments as they fly through the air.

They find the road again and keep going until smoke starts to leak from the hood of the cab, forcing Jack to pull over to check out the state of the engine.

"So now what?" Brynn asks.

"We must convince Jack Bruno to take us to our next destination," Sara answers.

"No," Seth says firmly. "We cannot trust him."

"I know we can. We must."

Brynn feels an argument coming on and she's stuck in the middle of it. So if she's already in the middle of it she might as well jump in. "I'm with Sara on this one. I'm not the only trustworthy human out there."

Seth glares at her. She was hoping the glares were over with now. "It is too dangerous."

She looks at him challengingly. "Do you know how to drive a car?"

He falters, glancing at his sister. "No. But it does not appear to be too difficult."

"I tried it once about a year ago when it became abundantly clear my father isn't going to let me learn. I tried to teach myself. And crashed. Into a tree." Her father still won't teach her how to drive, though she knows it has nothing to do with her crashing. He doesn't want to give her any potential for freedom. But that doesn't matter now. She's already free from him and maybe she can try learning again. Hopefully without any crashing this time.

Sara frowns. "Your father does not sound like a very nice man."

Brynn cringes slightly, raising a hand to her ribs subconsciously. "No, he's not."

Seth's hands clench into fists. "If humans have the capacity to torture their own children, then that just further proves that they cannot be trusted."

"Alright, fine!" she snaps, her stomach turning sour at his words. She doesn't like to acknowledge what's happened to her but he just shoves it in her face like that. If he wants to start pulling skeletons out of the closet, fine. "Yes, my father abuses me. That's why I left. Humans do have the capacity to do some pretty horrible things, but your people are no different if they're okay with sending that Siphon thing to kill a couple of kids." He has nothing to say to that but at least he has the decency to look a little guilty. She takes a deep breath, calming herself. "Look, Seth, I know you don't like Jack, but right now, you do need him if you're going to finish this thing. But he's only going to help you if you tell him the truth."

Jack slams the hood of the car back down angrily and gets back in the car.

Sara tries to talk to him first, "We know you're frustrated Jack-"

"No." He turns to face them. "No more 'Jack Bruno' this, 'Jack Bruno' that. I've been asking for answers-

"You already know the answers, Jack Bruno." She takes a deep breath and take the plunge. "My brother and I are indeed not from your planet."

Jack lets out an almost manic laugh. "So that's it? Mystery solved! You two want me to believe that you're both aliens."

"It is the truth," Seth says.

"Really?" Jack says condescendingly. "Well, you don't look like aliens."

Sara's brow furrows in confusion. "Well, what does an alien look like, Jack Bruno?"

"You know what aliens look like. They look like-like little green people, with antennas an-and laser guns and 'Take me to your leader, Earthlings.'" He makes a strange noise and it's Brynn's turn to laugh.

"Is that really what you think, Jack?" Brynn asks. "You've been transporting people to and from the alien convention for too long. Have you ever actually seen an alien?"

"No…."

"Well, none of them probably have either. No one has ever really known what aliens look like. Why is it so impossible to believe that they look just like us?"

"Because for all I know you're pulling my leg. For all I know, you're going to tell me you're an alien too."

"What? Don't be ridiculous! I'm human. I told you, I only met them this morning."

"He requires some sort of proof," Sara says. "He thinks we are insulting his intelligence."

"You think?" Jack says. "You can't just drop the 'We're aliens' bomb just like that on somebody. Now, I know I've seen some pretty weird things today, but you can't expect me to believe that…." Jack falls silent as Sara raises her hand in front of her and objects all around the cab begin to float up in the air.

Brynn pokes at a flying CD and it gently floats further away from her. "That is so cool."

"I have the ability to move objects with my mind," Sara answers Jack's unspoken question.

"That's impossible," he says with wide eyes, even with the evidence all around them.

"No, it's quite possible. On our planet as well as yours. You don't do it because you have not learned to use your full brain capacity."

"No, I don't do it cause it's kinda creepy," he says with a small voice, "and I really would like you to stop now."

Sara motions her hand down and all of the objects fall. Then, a bright light appears out of the fog, too high for the headlights of a car.

"Jack Bruno!" Sara warns and Jack turns to see that the alien saucer is back. He goes for the keys, turning them in the ignition, but the car just gives a pitiful wining noise, refusing to start.

"Come on, come on!" Jack pleads, but the car doesn't start and the lights get closer.

Then the lights pass them along with the semi-truck they're attached to. They breathe a collective sigh of relief, Jack tries the car again, and it starts right up. They continue on down the road, not sure of where they're going, but they do know one thing:

It's been a long night and it's not even over yet.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_

_For all of you fluffy fans, you will enjoy next chapter. :3  
><em>

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	4. Running Away

_**Author's Note**_

_Hello, everyone! I am back for the next installment. I particularly like this one cause I finally got to do fluff.  
><em>

_Go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Running Away<strong>_

Heat pours down on Brynn's head from an unforgiving sun. Sweat makes her clothes cling to her skin so she moves into the shadow of the house. She's standing in front of Mr. Wolfe's house, a man on either side of her like bodyguards but they aren't here to protect her. They're here to keep her in line as Mr. Wolfe makes her watch. To hold her back, just like they always do.

"_Brynn!"_ a voice says, as light as the wind. There yet not there. It's a familiar voice but she just can't place it.

A car comes around the circular driveway to stop in front of the house and right on cue Mr. Wolfe walks out the front door in his perfectly pressed suite, flashing her a dark smile. He's extremely pleased with what is about to happen.

"_Brynn!" _the voice calls again, more distinct this time, but she still doesn't know who it is.

Behind him two more of his men walk out holding the arms of a woman, forcing her to walk between them. Brynn's mother. She has a busted lip and a bruised eyelid swollen shut. Her shirt is torn and she limps down the front steps to the car. The driver gets out of the front and goes to the trunk, popping it open. The two men holding Brynn's mother shove her forward, stuffing her into the trunk. She screams in pain.

"Mommy!" Brynn screams, but it's not with the voice of a teenager but that of a little girl. She's not sixteen anymore but seven and she takes off towards her mother on skinny little legs that can never take her far enough or fast enough to reach her mother before the two men who were standing with her snatch her out of the air. "Mommy!"

"Brynn, baby, I love you!" her mother yells. "Always remember that! I love-!"

The trunk lid slams down.

Brynn wails and pleads for Mr. Wolfe to let her mother go but he just stares at her with his cold, dark eyes, and gets into the back of the car.

"_Brynn!"_ The voice sounds close now. She blinks and suddenly there is a girl standing in front of her, a girl with long blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes. She knows that face but a name won't come. _"Brynn, none of this is real."_

"Sara," she chokes out between her tears, finally realizing what is going on. This is a dream. All of this is just a dream. "Please, wake me up, Sara! I want to wake up!"

Sara reaches out a hand, fingertips touching Brynn's temple, and closes her eyes.

The car drives off, taking Brynn's mother away, and she never sees her again.

Blessed darkness devours it all.

* * *

><p>Brynn jerks awake with a scream on her lips. Her eyes dart around, terrified, as she struggles against the arms that hold her, thinking they are Mr. Wolfe's men, until she focuses on Sara's face hovering in front of hers, fingers still pressed to Brynn's temple just like in the dream, but this is real. This is real. Sara pulls away, relief clear in her face, and Brynn can see that she's back in the cab. Not Mr. Wolfe's house. Her body shakes, tears still streaming down her face, and she turns in the arms around her to press her face to the shoulder she finds.<p>

"Brynn?" Seth asks, voice filled with concern and uncertainty. It sounds really close to her and she realizes it is him she's pressed against.

"I-I'm s-sorry," she says, struggling to keep her voice coherent through her tears. "I'll be o-okay. J-Just give me a minute. Please. Just a minute." She just needs to feel physical contact for just a minute, she needs something to steady herself and then she can pick herself back up again. But when her minute is up and her tears are still coming Seth doesn't push her away, he pulls her closer, tightening his arms around her.

"It's okay," Seth whispers in her ear. "I've got you."

She presses herself closer to him, clinging to the front of his shirt, and lets herself cry until the tears slow down and her breathing softens from sobs to full breaths. When she has no more tears to give she just sits for a moment, taking in the feel of Seth holding her, breathing in the smell of pine trees that seems to follow him. She becomes aware of someone stroking her hair and a quiet humming carrying a beautiful melody. Sara.

Brynn doesn't want to move from this place, this safe place with her two best friends where everything actually feels okay for once. She could live in a place like this, just trapped in this memory. However, life doesn't work like that, so she pulls away from Seth and Sara drops her hand from Brynn's head.

"I'm sorry," Brynn says, voice sounding congested, and she wipes the tears from her face, keeping her eyes trained on her lap.

"It's okay," Seth says quietly. "We cannot be strong all of the time, even if we want to be. Are _you_ okay though?"

She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I will be."

"What was that?" Jack asks and she notices for the first time that they've pulled off to the side of the road. Jack is turned in his seat, brows furrowed with worry. "Cause that didn't look okay to me."

"It was a dream." She stares down at her lap again, fingers twisting together. Seth takes one of her hands in his, his thumb brushing back and forth across the backs of her fingers. "A recurring nightmare that I sometimes have. It always gets worse this time of year."

"Why's that?"

She squeezes Seth's hand tightly. "Because it's close to the anniversary of my mother's death."

Silence fills the car. Her mother died nine years ago tomorrow. Not a day goes by that she doesn't think about it. Usually she has relatively dreamless nights, but the nightmares always return within one month of the anniversary. She was hoping that after everything that's happened today she would have been too tired to dream, so she let the gentle swaying of the cab rock her to sleep. She was wrong.

"How did she die?" Jack asks quietly.

"She was…." The words get caught in her throat. "She…."

Sara takes her other hand and answers for her. "She was murdered."

"Did those men in your dream do it?" Seth asks.

Brynn looks up at him, startled. "Yes." But how did he know that?

_When I entered your mind to pull you out of the dream,_ Sara's voice filters into her head, _my brother connected to you through me as well. He was worried._

Brynn nods in understanding and gives Seth and Sara a grateful smile. They were worried about her. Both of them. And that makes her happy. It's been a while since someone has truly worried about her.

"Wait," Jack says, "you saw your mom…die?"

Correction. The three of them worry about her. She's starting to see Jack as a friend, too, and he does care about her.

"I didn't actually see it happen," she explains. "But I…I did see them take her away."

"Cops ever catch who did it?"

"No," she says grimly, anger, hurt, and betrayal simmering in her chest. "No, they didn't."

The cops know Mr. Wolfe did it. They're just either bought off or too afraid to go after him.

"I'm sorry," Jack says. "Is your dad still around?"

"Yeah. Unfortunately." But she doesn't want to think about her father and the horrible monster that he is so she lets go of Seth's and Sara's hands to wipe at her face one more time and then looks out the window. "So where are we?"

Jack clears his throat, accepting of the subject change. "We're a couple miles out from a town," he says, looking out the windshield to the twinkling lights of a town ahead of them. "Should be there in a few minutes. We'll find a garage, get the car fixed up, and grab a bite to eat."

He starts the car again and it's a silent ride into town. Stony Creek is small, minuscule compared to the bustling city of Las Vegas, but it has a quiet, homey feel to it. The only garage in town has a mechanic who is reluctant to work at first, but Jack quickly persuades him to fix up the cab using the cash Seth and Sara gave him. They leave him to start on the extensive repairs to find food, following the sound of country music to the only restaurant in town where it looks like most of the townspeople are. There's loud music and dancing, laughing people, and it's a nice change of pace from what they've dealt with most of the day. They find an empty table and sit down, Jack looking around nervously.

Sara suddenly turns to him, "I hope you do not act upon your thought of making a fast break out the back door and escaping Stony Creek, never to look back at us again."

Jack's eyes narrow at her in confusion. "How did you know that?"

"My sister also has the gift of telepathy," Seth says. "She can read the minds of those nearest to her and it is what allowed her to wake Brynn from her nightmare."

"Really," Jack says, looking a little skeptical, a little freaked out, and a little annoyed. "Well, you can tell your sister that here on Earth, reading minds, _very_ rude. Don't do that."

Brynn feels her stomach drop. "You're not really going to leave us, are you, Jack?"

He shifts in his seat uncomfortably. "Well, I was going to take you with me, Brynn. This is way too dangerous for you to get mixed up in. We should just both go back to Vegas and I'll take you home.

"No!" she yells too loudly. People turn their heads to look at them curiously but Brynn doesn't pay them any attention as panic starts to spread through her veins. She grabs onto Seth's and Sara's hands under the table on either side of her. _Don't let him take me back!_ she throws out her mind, hoping Sara hears her and allows Seth to hear as well. _Please, don't let him take me back to that place!_

_Do not worry, Brynn,_ Sara reassures her. _You will not go back to your father ever again._

_We will ensure it,_ Seth says, and some of the panic starts to fade. They'll help her. They'll keep her safe. Just like they promised. Seth turns to Jack with a stubborn glare. "Brynn is to remain with us to assist us on our mission."

"No," Jack says slowly, starting to get irritated, "Brynn needs to go home. She's already almost gotten killed because of your mission. She's lucky she only got a little banged up."

"Brynn does not wish to return home, Jack Bruno," Sara says, getting a little too close to the truth for Brynn's comfort. She doesn't want to tell Jack the truth about why she doesn't want to go home. She's afraid he'll find out who she is. There's no telling what he'd do.

"Why don't you want to go home?" Jack asks her, starting to sound suspicious.

"Hey, guys," a waitress interrupts, setting down some glasses of water on their table. "My name's Tina and I'm gonna be your server." When she looks at Brynn, Seth, and Sara, her eyes fill with amusement. "Wow. Look at the three of you."

"Uh, what do you mean, look at the three of them?" Jack says nervously. "They look like, uh, three regular, innocent, uh, all-American kids."

Brynn rolls her eyes. He's really bad at lying.

"Well, they look like they just rolled around in a pig pen right before dinner, that's all." The sheriff and a couple of deputies pass by and Tina greets them as they go to their table. Jack gets even more nervous, but he needs to just relax. No one here is going to know them, not in this small town. "Now," Tina turns to them, "why don't the three of you come with me and we'll get y'all cleaned up, huh?"

Brynn, Seth, and Sara rise from the table, Brynn grabbing her messenger bag that has miraculously stayed with her throughout this crazy journey, and they follow Tina to the bathrooms, Brynn and Sara going to the women's, Seth going to the men's. Brynn and Sara go to the sinks lining one wall, using the water and paper towels to wipe the dirt and ash from their faces and hair as best they can. When Brynn gets as good as she's going to get she takes her bag into one of the stalls and changes into some fresh clothes from what she brought with her, a dark green V-neck shirt and blue jeans. When they're all done they exit the bathroom to find Seth and Tina waiting for them and the waitress shows them back to their table.

"You've changed clothes," Jack notices and Brynn's shoulders tense as she sits down.

"Yep," she says, tone clipped. "Had some extra clothes with me."

"And why is that?" But it sounds like he already knows the truth.

She's about to just brush him off again when Sara grabs her hand. _Brynn, you have encouraged my brother and I to trust in Jack Bruno. Perhaps it is time you do the same?_

Brynn bites her lip. _If Jack finds out about my connection to Wolfe…things might get bad._

Sara nods in understanding. _Then at least tell him the reason as to why you wish not to return home to your father. He will be accepting. Trust me._

Brynn drags a hand over her face. "Alright," she sighs. "Alright, Jack. Yes, I've run away from home. But I can't go back. My father, he…it's not safe for me there."

Jack's face turns hard, his eyes going dark with anger. "Does he hurt you?"

"Yes," she says in a small voice. "Along with others."

He's silent for a few moments and then says quietly, "Is running away really the answer though? It may sound like a great idea at first, but going out on your own usually doesn't turn out all too good. Trust me. I know. I ran away from my foster parents when I was sixteen and ended up in a gang. It took me years to get out, and when I did not many people would hire me because I never finished high school. Being a cab driver was the only job I could get."

They're both running from the same things, Brynn and Jack. She's trying to get out from under Mr. Wolfe's roof, he's trying to get away from Mr. Wolfe's gang. Running away may not have worked out for him, but it is the only option for her. "I may not be able to have a glamorous life but it'll be a lot better than the hell I'm leaving behind. I'll be okay, Jack. I know I can make it on my own."

Jack sighs deeply. "Okay. Okay. I won't make you go back. But I think it would be-"

"Best for everyone if Seth, Brynn, and I found another ride?" Sara finishes for him.

"Seriously," he deadpans. "You gotta stop doing that."

"Jack Bruno, it is understandable if you are scared and confused considering all that has occurred today."

"I'm not scared," he insists but Sara gives him an unconvinced look. She is a mind-reader, after all. "Just a little confused," he amends. "But the bottom line is, you guys need someone from NASA or the Air Force, not me."

"If you abandon us now our mission will be in serious jeopardy."

"Jack, I know how you feel," Brynn says. "That Siphon is freaky and wicked strong." She lifts a hand to her head, still able to feel the throbbing bump he gave her. "But I'm not about to let Seth and Sara face him alone either. It's too late for NASA or the Air Force. There's just us. It may not be much, but we're all they've got."

"Hey, look," Jack says placatingly, "I'm just trying to be honest here, okay? I'm the wrong guy. What do you expect _me_ to do?"

"A wise human once said 'You are what you think you are,'" Sara says.

"Yeah, well, why don't you find that guy and ask him?"

"It was the Buddha," Seth informs him. "He is unavailable."

Brynn snorts in amusement and he smirks at her.

"How is it that beings on your planet can be so large in form yet feel so small inside?" Sara asks, truly not understanding. She takes his hand. "Maybe you need help too, Jack Bruno."

Jack's phone suddenly rings, interrupting them, and he answers it. Whatever the person says on the other end, it makes Jack freeze. Brynn opens her mouth to ask who it is but Jack just holds up a finger, signaling them to wait, and gets up from the table to walk away with the phone pressed to his ear.

"You do it too, you know," Sara says to her once Jack is out of listening range.

"What do you mean?" she asks.

"You feel small on the inside when really you are not." Brynn blinks at her in surprise and Sara smiles. "You believe you are not of much help to us, just as Jack does, and yet you still insist on coming with us on our mission, determined to do all that you can. That is a kind of strength, Brynn, one that not many people have, even on our world. It allowed you to face the Siphon and come out alive."

Brynn shrugs, feeling like it's not really that big of a deal, what she did. "I just did what anyone else would have done."

"No," Seth says. "What you did was remarkable." He shakes his head with a little disbelief. "You have succeeded in proving me wrong about you."

Brynn smiles, feeling elated. That one sentence right there and she feels that she just accomplished something great. She's proves to Seth, who has turned out to be a very stubborn alien, that she can be trusted. And maybe with this step he can come to trust other humans, too, like Jack.

Jack comes back to the table and urges the three of them to get up and follow him. "They're here for us," Sara says, "aren't they."

He looks between them and the sheriff's table a little indecisively then says, "Yeah. They are." He then leaves them to go towards the sheriff's table.

Seth's fists clench at his sides. "I knew we couldn't trust him, Sarah. We have to run."

Sara grabs her brother's arm as she stares at Jack. "Wait."

Brynn watches Jack talk to the sheriffs and she smiles. She doesn't have to be a mind reader in order to guess what he has in mind. "I don't think he's selling us out, Seth. I think he's buying some time."

Jack motions for them to follow him and he leads them around the edge of the dance floor, using the pillars and crowd to hide themselves. A bunch of men in black suits walk into the restaurant and the sheriff approaches them with an air of caution. They can't hear what the men are talking about but then the men in suits and the cops all start pointing their guns at each other and the restaurant goes deathly quiet and still. Jack uses the distraction to lead them further around the room but there are people with guns blocking all the exits. They can't get out without being noticed.

They turn around to go back the other way only to run into the waitress, Tina. She holds a finger to her lips, telling them to be quiet, and then she leads them to the back of the restaurant to a door that opens up on a ladder leading up to the roof.

"Thank you," Sara whispers to her.

Tina smiles. "Good luck."

Jack climbs up the ladder and pushes against the hatch, but it doesn't budge. "It's locked from the outside." He climbs back down. "We gotta find another way."

Seth doesn't listen to him, instead climbing up the ladder himself. He pushes his hand _through _the hatch and in a moment he has it opened and is climbing through.

"Or we could do that," Jack says in confusion, "whatever that is."

"My brother has the ability to control his molecular density," Sara explains. "Which allows him to phase through solid objects or withstand the greatest of impacts."

So that's how he saved her out on the highway. As Brynn climbs up the ladder after Sara, followed by Jack, she wonders if the twins have any other neat abilities.

They sneak across rooftops, hopping down onto the roof of a trailer and then down to the ground into someone's backyard. A feral growling makes them pause though. Slowly, they turn to see a very large dog with brown fur and a black muzzle. And he does not look happy. He barks at them and Brynn cringes back. That would be just her luck, to survive getting attacked by the Siphon only to get mauled on by a dog. The dog charges at them and she closes her eyes. Only to hear a happy whine. She cracks her eyes open to see Sara kneeling on the ground, petting the dog, and the dog licking her face.

"We appreciate your understanding," she tells the dog and then stands. "Let's go."

Sara and Seth run off and Brynn runs after them. "Any other little tricks I should know about?"

Sara thinks for a moment. "None that I can recall."

She shakes her head. Crazy aliens.

They rush back to the garage and drive off in the cab despite the mechanic not being done yet. As soon as they're on the main road they're spotted by the wannabe Men in Black.

"There's too many of them," Jack says as he weaves between all of the black SUVs. Sara flings out her hand towards one of the cars and its engine explodes with a bunch of sparks. She does it again and again, destroying the men's cars. "Whatever you're doing, keep doing it."

Once all of the cars are taken care of they are able to safely make their way out of town without any of the men being able to follow.

"Say goodbye to Stony Creek," Jack says happily but then Sara shoves her hand forward again and the cab comes to a stop. "No, no, no, no, not now! Come on! Sara, are you doing this?"

The back door opens and the dog from earlier climbs over Sara's lap to squish between her and Brynn, forcing Brynn to slide closer to Seth.

"Oh, absolutely not!" Jack yells angrily. "This junkyard is not going with us. I am done picking up stray passengers!"

Before he can order them to get rid of the dog though, the men start to catch up to them on foot and bullets ping against the cab. They all duck their heads down and Jack gets the car in motion again, now with one more passenger.

Once the town lights disappear, Jack speaks up. "Those guys who were chasing us, they were the same ones from the highway, right?"

"Yes," Sara says.

"It is vital that you take us to their base of operation," Seth tells him and Jack looks back incredulously.

"You want me to take you to the guys who are trying to kill you?"

Seth nods.

"Let me explain to you how we do things here, on Earth," Jack says condescendingly. "People who want you dead, you avoid. That way you, oh, stay alive. Make sense?"

"No one on your planet will stay alive if we do not return to our planet," Seth replies, using the same tone. "And in order to return, we need our ship. Those men who are trying to kill us have stolen our ship. Make sense?"

Jack looks back at them but he has no retort.

"Where do you suggest we begin our search?" Sara asks.

"I don't suggest we begin searching at all," Jack says. "I do suggest we go back to Vegas and I drop you off right where you got on." He looks down at the dog who has now crawled into the front passenger seat. "You too."

Fear constricts Brynn's chest and she touches the backs of Sara's and Seth's hands lightly. _"If he leaves us back in Vegas, Mr. Wolfe and his men will find me before we can find another way out again."_

Seth's hand wraps around hers and he looks at her with such a fierce determination. _"No matter what happens, we will keep you safe. Friend."_

A warm feeling fills her chest, setting her stomach to flutter like a million butterflies.

"_Please, do not take offense with what I am about to say." _Then Seth looks to his sister and says, "It is just as I thought. No human is going to help us, Sara. Especially not this human."

But that's not true. Brynn is helping them and for him to just brush her off like that hurts a little. But both twins squeeze her hands and Seth told her not to take offense. What is he trying to do?

"Hey, hey," Jack says, sounding slightly hurt himself, "easy on the human bashing, okay? Some of my best friends just happen to be human. And even if I were to help you, I wouldn't even know where to begin. I don't know anything about UFOs or aliens or-"

Sara cocks her head to the side in thought. "Who is Dr. Alex Friedman?"

Jack pauses, taken aback by another display of Sara's mind reading capabilities. He also seems to be debating with himself. "She's actually somebody who can help. And for the record, she happens to be human."

The three of them smile. They got Jack to continue helping them. But then Brynn's smile fades as a thought comes to mind. "Jack, where is Dr. Friedman at?"

"Back in Vegas," he says. "She's giving a conference or something at the alien convention."

It's suddenly hard to breathe. She still has to go back to Vegas, and to Planet Hollywood no less. That's practically the heart of Mr. Wolfe's territory. He's going to know where she is as soon as she steps in the building. And then her father will come after her. But this is what Seth and Sara need. If this Dr. Friedman can really help them, then she'll just have to risk getting caught. She will do this for them.

_Do not worry, Brynn,_ Sara says confidently. _It is as my brother said, we will keep you safe, just as we promised._

Brynn just nods, trying to put on a brave smile but she can feel it falter a little. Suddenly she feels so tired.

_You should try to get some more sleep,_ Seth says, concern softening his usually hard face.

_I don't know if I can, _she says. _I don't want to have that nightmare again and I know I will if I go to sleep now._

Seth shifts closer to her and lifts his other hand to cup the side of her face, leading her head down until it is resting on his shoulder. _Just try._

She lets go of Sara's hand, not wanting Seth to hear her next thought. That she definitely doesn't want to sleep now. She wants to be awake for this moment, her pressed against Seth's side, head on his shoulder, his thumb stroking her hand, the smell of pine trees all around her. She doesn't really understand what's going on inside of her, honestly, she's afraid to, but she does know that she wants to make this last for as long as possible.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_

_So, did you like the fluff? I hope so. So, next chapter we head back to Vegas. You all know what that means in the movie, but what will that mean for Brynn?  
><em>

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	5. All Roads Lead to Home

_**Author's Note**_

_Hello again! Almost forgot to do this today, but I remembered last minute. Glad you guys liked the fluff last chapter. This chapter, we got quite a bit of movie stuff that I just kind of smoothed over. I know I get tired of reading the same dialogue over and over again when fanfictions are movie-based so hopefully no one minds. I still got some changes, though. *evil laugh*  
><em>

_Now, go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>All Roads Lead to Home<strong>_

Jack diligently drives throughout the night without stopping to get any sleep for himself, just keeps going onwards towards Vegas, this time taking them along rural backroads that are more dirt than road. It's a longer route but at least this way they are less likely to be found than if they use the main road. Seth and Sara drift off eventually. At one point in the night Brynn feels Seth's breathing even out beneath her cheek where it is still pressed to his shoulder and Sara snores quietly beside her. Brynn never sleeps though. Just keeps a silent vigil with Jack, even though he never knows it. Her eyelids stay shut and she lets her mind wander to the swaying of the cab.

She likes being this close to Seth. He was so closed off to her before, so angry and cold and hard. But he's begun to soften up to her as trust slowly trickles in. She likes this more open Seth, the one who's beginning to care about her, the one who now calls her friend.

But a part of her wonders at that word, "friend," and wonders if there couldn't be, already isn't, more.

A little after dawn the dog, now lovingly called Junkyard just to annoy Jack, starts to growl and Brynn opens her eyes. Junkyard is sitting up in the front passenger seat, staring intently at Jack, and giving a low growl every once in a while.

Seth and Sara begin to stir from the noise, so Brynn reluctantly lifts her head off of Seth's shoulder. She tries to slip her hand out of his but as he starts to fully wake up his grip on her tightens. And as he looks around with groggy eyes, landing on her with a soft, almost-there smile, he doesn't let her hand go. So she smiles back and lets him keep it, hoping he's not still holding her hand just because he hasn't noticed yet that he still is.

"Sara?" Jack asks without taking his eyes off the road.

Sara looks to Junkyard and then says, "He would appreciate you pulling over so that he may relieve himself"

"Well, we don't have time for that," Jack says, sounding peeved that this animal he doesn't even want in his cab is now trying to make demands. "He should have went before we left Stony Creek."

Junkyard growls again. "He's unpleased with your attitude."

"Really? Is that the way he feels? Well, you remind him that I'm a man and he's a _dog_." Jack looks at Junkyard at the emphasis. "And I'm not about to have this, or any conversation, with a _dog_. So my answer is still _no_."

Brynn rolls her eyes. This is just ridiculous. "Hey, Jack?"

"Yes, Brynn?"

"You do know that if you don't pull over he's probably just going to pee in the car, right?"

A few minutes later the car is parked on the side of the road. Jack gets out, along with Sara, Junkyard flying out after her to go out into the field of dried grass. Seth and Brynn stay in the car, Brynn staring at the lightening sky and thinking of her mother. Her mother used to love this time of morning. She was always an early riser, would always get up at the crack of dawn just to enjoy hours such as this, the time of day when most are still in bed. She said she liked to enjoy the peace and quiet, that it was always one of the few times of the day when she wasn't surrounded by Mr. Wolfe and his men. It was one of the few times when she didn't feel stifled, constrained, trapped. It was during those early morning hours when she grabbed Brynn and tried to run away, only to ultimately fail. Only to die and leave Brynn behind to a horrible fate. A horrible father. But Brynn knows she wouldn't have left her if she didn't have to. If Mr. Wolfe didn't force her to. But he just had to make an example out of her. No one leaves the gang. Not without consequences.

"Brynn?" Seth says, sounding like he's tried to get her attention a couple of times now, and she turns to him apologetically.

"Sorry," she says. "What were you saying?"

"Your mind had wandered off somewhere. Where did it take you?"

She looks away sadly. "To my mother. Today is the anniversary of her death."

"I am sorry," he whispers.

She shakes her head. "It was a long time ago." She smiles at him, wanting to lift the somber air. She doesn't want to be thinking of this right now, especially with them headed back to Vegas. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

He looks at her a little cautiously but says, "What is it?"

"What's your planet like?"

"Its name is Sorrel." A small smile lights his face, but it is a sad smile. "There are many sprawling metropolises, like the one here where we first met. There are towering scrapers and our advances in technology are a source of great pride for our people. But that pride has also come with great consequence, for it is leading to the death of both our planet and our people. Our cities take up the majority of the planet. The rest…is uninhabitable wastelands. The air and seas are so polluted that it is only our elders who remember what they once looked like. Sorrel was once very beautiful. At least, that is what we are told. It was much like this planet, with green life all around and clear blue waters and birds and other wild animals. But our people were not kind to our planet, allowing the forests to be cut down for more cities and pollution to destroy the rest. We hope to one day make things right. To bring the beauty that was lost back to the planet, as it should be."

"Is that why you're here, your mission? Does it have to do with healing your planet?"

"Yes, it does." He looks out towards the others where Junkyard is vaulting back to the cab. "I hope to see that beauty myself someday and not just in pictures."

Brynn smiles softly as Junkyard jumps into the back of the cab, licking her face. It does sound a lot like Earth, in more ways than one. She wonders if one day, maybe, Seth and Sara can take her to see it.

But that is probably just wishful thinking.

"Junkyard says thank you," Sara informs Jack.

"Did he now?" Jack says, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is there anything else he wants?"

Sara bends down to look at Junkyard, apparently asking, and then looks back up at Jack. "He said he would love a bone or a meaty treat."

Apparently they don't have much sarcasm on Sorrel. "Top of my to-do list," Jack tells her. "Just get in."

Sara does as she's told and Jack closes the door after her. Then they are back on their way to Vegas.

It's almost noon by the time they get there. A part of Brynn is pleased to be back in Las Vegas, the city she has always known, the city she was raised in. But a thick apprehension envelopes her as well. The further into the city they get, the harder it will be to get back out again. The longer they're here, the more likely Mr. Wolfe is to find out she's here. And as they arrive at Planet Hollywood, handing over the cab and the looking after of Junkyard to a valet, she knows there will most likely be some sort of confrontation with Mr. Wolfe's men before they leave the building.

She can feel a tingling going up her spine, the feeling of eyes on her, and now, thanks to Sebastian, she knows it means that Mr. Wolfe's men are watching her. They are here. And soon, her father will be, too. They need to finish up their business here as fast as possible.

Jack shepherds them up an escalator and towards one of the rooms used for presentations. When they find the one where Dr. Alex Friedman is supposed to be giving her presentation right now, they find it empty. Except for a single woman with short brown hair wearing a professional collared shirt and a pencil skirt whom Brynn takes to be Alex Friedman.

"The cattle mutilation lecture doesn't start for an hour," Alex says, "but grab a seat. This place will be packed." She crumbles up her coffee cup and throws it away dejectedly. "It always is."

"We're here to see you actually," Jack says. "It's Jack Bruno. We met earlier."

She looks at him curiously, obviously not recognizing him at all. "We did?"

"Cab? Airport to hotel?" He gestures towards his face. "Driver?"

"Ah," she says as it hits her, "the nonbeliever. What are the odds?"

"Hey, is there someplace we can talk?"

She looks at him like he can't be serious, since they're already completely alone. "The, uh, crowds in here making you uncomfortable?"

"Even more private than this," Jack insists.

Alex sighs. "Look, no offense, but I'm-"

"She's doubting her thesis on Gliese-581 and Alcubierre's Warp Drive," Sara suddenly speaks up, no doubt pulling that fact from Alex's mind.

Alex looks at Sara in shock. "How did you know that?"

"Oh, it gets a lot better," Jack says. "Trust me."

"Alright," Alex gives in, in a bit of a daze. "Follow me." She leads them out through the exhibits until they find one on Mars that's closed down for repairs. Alex sets her stuff down on a table and her and Jack start a whispered conversation. The longer it goes on, the angrier Alex gets.

"Hey, guys?" Brynn says to Seth and Sara while still looking at the adults. "I think Alex is going to end up being like Jack in the whole needing proof before she believes you're aliens thing." When the twins don't answer her she turns her head to see them rifling through Alex's bag, pulling out her computer and opening it up. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?" she whisper-yells but they don't answer her, instead staring at the picture of outer space that's on the screen with deep interest.

"Hey, please don't touch that!" Alex yells at them.

Seth doesn't listen, he just picks up her laptop and says excitedly, "You captured an image of our ship."

Alex looks at him skeptically. "The smudge? You're telling me you think the smudge is your space ship."

"No, we don't _think_ it's our space ship," Sara says, "We _know_ it is our space ship."

Alex shakes her head. "That's it, I'm out." She goes to take her computer from Seth. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll just brag my laptop and-" Alex's hand goes through the laptop and then the laptop goes through Seth's hands, falling towards the floor. It stops right before it hits, though, levitating back up into the air following Sara's outstretched hand. Alex speechlessly holds out her hands and Sara places the laptop down on them.

"Oh, they can also do all this stuff too," Jack says, sounding like he wants to say "I told you so" but doesn't. Almost.

Alex takes in a shaky breath and looks at them in awe. "Who are you?"

"Show her," Sara tells Seth, and he places a device on top of Alex's bag on the table and presses a button. A bright light shoots out of the device and suddenly they are surrounded by stars and planets and galaxies, the whole of space, and Brynn's mouth opens in her own awe as she takes it all in. It's all so beautiful. She can't imagine being able to travel through space, to actually see all of this in person from a space ship.

"This is _huge_," Alex says with utter happiness. She turns to Brynn, Seth, and Sara excitedly. "I have so many questions." She places a hand on Brynn's arm. "Even though you are the answers, here, standing right in front of me-"

"Actually," Brynn interrupts, getting a little uncomfortable with the closeness since Alex is still basically a stranger. Honestly, why does everyone always assume she's an alien too? "I'm not an alien. I'm human. So could you just…."

Alex instantly turns apologetic and retracts her hand. "Oh, right. I'm sorry. Very excited." She takes a breath, visibly calming herself down. "Where are you from?"

"Our planet is located some 3000 light-years from Earth." Sara points to a planet floating by, one surrounded by what looks like brown clouds but Brynn guesses to be the pollution Seth told her about. They can't even see the ground.

"But space travel of such sizable distance-"

"Is possible," Seth interjects, "using a paradoxical passage in the unbound-"

"Wormholes! That's it!" She looks at Jack triumphantly. "My presentation at City National convention was right! Interstellar travel is possible using worm holes as a shortcut through space!"

"That was my first guess as well, the worm holes," Jack adds, and Brynn raises an eyebrow at him. He's trying to impress Alex. Interesting. He clears his throat awkwardly. "Continue, doctor."

"Why did you come to Earth?" Alex asks them.

"Our planet is dying," Sara says. "Millennia of neglect has rendered our atmosphere unbreathable."

"That sounds familiar," Alex mumbles to herself.

"Our parents are scientists," Seth says, "who have studied Earth's changing climates in hopes of finding a solution for our planet's future."

Sara continues, "Our people's fears began to rise, and then our parents discovered something our leaders were very interested in.

Seth hesitates, glancing nervously over at Brynn. "Your planet makes a suitable living environment for our kind. It would be simplest to abandon our dying planet and occupy yours."

"Okay, so wait, I'm helping you conquer my own planet?" Jack asks accusingly, but Brynn doesn't leap to that conclusion. No, they wouldn't do that. Not Seth and Sara.

"No!" Sara says. "Most of the people on our planet are fiercely opposed to this plan."

"But fear of extinction triumphed among our people," Seth says.

"But then our parents discovered a solution. An experiment at an outpost here was successful in regenerating life into all previously dying plants and trees."

"Which would enable the re-oxygenating of your poisoned atmosphere," Alex says, following the idea.

"Alright, so what's the problem?" Jack asks.

"Our military," Seth says. "They preferred the solution of invasion over science."

"Which is why we had to hurry and retrieve the experiment." Sara pulls out the device they found at the outpost. "All proof that our planet can be saved and your planet spared is in here."

"And where are your parents again?" Jack asks.

"They were arrested for their opposition."

"We agreed to complete the task for them," Seth says.

"And what about the assassin?" Jack asks.

"Assassin?" Alex repeats worriedly. "What assassin?"

"The Siphon warrior series Duranian 75 was created by our military," Sara answers.

"They were bred to hunt?"

"They're bred to kill," Seth clarifies, "and if we don't return back home in time, the invasion will proceed."

Alex looks a bit freaked out. "We seriously need to find your spaceship."

* * *

><p>They follow Alex back out into the convention in search of someone Alex knows who she says can help them locate Seth's and Sara's ship. It's different, knowing the full truth now. Before, Brynn was just helping her friends get from one place to another, dodging bad guys as they went. Now it feels more like a mission because now she knows exactly what's at stake. If they don't succeed, if Seth and Sara don't bring their device back to their planet, then the Earth will be in danger.<p>

Their search takes them to two colleagues of Alex's, asking for a Dr. Harlan, and they lead them outside to the collection of RVs and trailers of those speaking at the convention. They stop at one with tin foil covering the windows and Alex knocks on the door

"Go away!" a man's voice calls out from inside the RV. "The book signing's not 'til 4:30. Read the brochure!"

"Harlan, it's Alex Friedman," Alex yells back and instantly the door opens to reveal an older man with white hair and wearing a brown vest.

"Dr. Alex Friedman," he says, sounding pleased. "Kel-suprise."

"We have to speak with you immediately, it is incredibly important."

Dr. Harlan lets them inside as Alex explains an extremely bended version of the truth, that Brynn, Sara, and Seth all saw a UFO crash land. Inside the RV there are tons of pictures and diagrams, all having to do with aliens and space. Harlan goes towards the back of the trailer and sits at his desk.

"We were wondering if there were any intel out there amongst your sources," Alex says.

Harlan looks between the five of them, his face revealing nothing. "I hate lying. I really don't like lying. I can tell when people are lying to me." They shift uncomfortably on their feet, thinking they're caught, but then Harlan smiles. "But thankfully your story checks out with all the reports I got from SEDI and NORAD and NASA.

Seth steps forward urgently. "We have reason to believe a team of government sponsored covert operatives recovered the space craft."

"Okay, back up a little, this is not space camp." Harlan holds up a hand, forcing Seth to step back. "Let the experts do their work. You know, you're very lucky you three didn't come face to face with the aliens who were in that craft. They're like deadly praying mantises. They eat your flesh."

This guy is a couple of cards shy of a full deck. Sara looks at her and she thinks, _"Just play along."_

"Oh, oh yes," Sara says rather awkwardly. "We are indeed lucky kids, not to have had our flesh eaten. By the aliens."

"You got that right." Harlan turns to his computer. "Okay, let's go to work."

Harlan looks through his data and narrows it down to one possibility: Witch Mountain, a heavily guarded top secret government facility in California about 50 miles from the border of Nevada. He gives them what he's got on it and gives them one final warning. "Whatever trouble you're in, trust no one."

When they're back inside the building they stop at the escalators. "Thank you," Sara says. "All of you. Seth and I understand that you don't have to go forward with us, and yet you choose to."

"You're welcome," Alex says with a warm smile. "And don't worry, we're gonna get you home. Promise." She looks at Jack. "I'm gonna go grab my stuff. Let's meet upstairs in the convention at my boot, then we can get your cab."

"Alex, listen," Jack pulls her to the side a little, but Brynn and the others can still easily listen. "I can't let you come with us."

"What?" Alex says incredulously.

"If half of what Harlan says is true, it's way too dangerous. They got in my cab, they're my problem."

"Um, no!" Alex straightens up, looking at Jack defiantly. "I have spent my entire life preparing for this moment and now when I have two actual aliens in need of my help, you want me to walk away? It's not gonna happen. Man up, soldier. I'm in." Jack is a little taken aback, but Brynn can tell he's secretly pleased. "Just lay low, till we meet up."

"Sure!" Jack stutters out as she walks away. "Lay low. Easy. How hard could that be?"

Sara moves to stand besides Jack as he stares at Alex's retreating form. "She thinks you're very handsome."

"Really?" Jack asks, surprised.

"And smarter than you think you are."

"So she was thinking about me, huh?"

"At least as much as you were thinking about her."

Jack is staring off in the direction Alex went a little dreamily. "So did she happen to mention in her thoughts that I was a…."

"It's showtime, everybody!" someone yells out as they pass by, heading to the escalator. "Space Echo No. 9. It's upstairs, come on!"

"Should we go upstairs now?" Seth asks.

"Yeah, yeah," Jack says distractedly. "Let's go upstairs."

Seth and Sara head towards the stairs but Brynn stays behind with Jack. "Hey, Jack?" she asks.

"Hm?" He's pulled from his thoughts and looks at her. "What is it?"

"You're not going to try to make me leave because it's too dangerous like you did with Alex, are you?"

"I thought about it," he admits. "But I figured there's no way you'd listen to me even if I tried. Besides, I'm not about to do something that would make Seth hate me any more than he already does."

"Seth doesn't really hate you, he just has trust issues. But why would he hate you for making me leave?"

A slow smile crawls across Jack's face. "I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually."

"Well, well, well, look who we have here," a voice says, one Brynn recognizes and dread swallows her. They're suddenly surrounded by three men. Wolfe's men. Two of them grab ahold of Jack and she recognizes them from as the same men from the taxi lot yesterday morning. The third grabs a hold of her, a vice-like grip on her forearm, and she's looking into the sinister grin of Sebastian. "Hello, again, little Brynnley. We've been looking everywhere for you." He looks to Jack. "You, too, Jackie. Imagine our surprise when you just walk right in like you own the place. Mr. Wolfe is going to be pleased to see you. Come on." The three of them begin to drag Brynn and Jack off, but Jack struggles against the men holding him. Sebastian tuts in disapproval. "Oh, Jackie, I wouldn't do that." He pulls out a knife, pressing the tip of the blade against her side so that Jack can see but none of the people around them will notice. Brynn's breath catches in her throat. "Come along nicely, Jackie. Mr. Wolfe would be very disappointed if I had to hurt his little pet." Jack stills and lets the men guide him through the casino.

"You know Mr. Wolfe?" Jack whispers to her. "How?"

"You remember how I told you my mother was murdered?" Brynn asks. He nods. "Mr. Wolfe gave the order."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. But there's more to it than that." She should just tell him, who her father is, but her tongue tangles on the words. She can't. She just can't. If Jack knew, he would hate her for it. Her father has caused him a lot of pain. But he's probably about to find out anyway.

Jack opens his mouth to say more but then they're dragged into a show room. The sign outside the door says a magic show is supposed to be going on now but when they enter there is nobody on stage or anyone seated at the round dinner tables. Except for Mr. Wolfe. He's seated in one of the booths in the center with half a dozen men placed all around the room. Brynn and Jack are shoved into two chairs placed in front of his table and Sebastian stands directly behind her, hands placed lightly on the back of her chair.

She stares, wide-eyed, into Mr. Wolfe's cold, dark eyes, terror eating away at her gut. She can't tell how angry he is, his face gives nothing away, but usually when he just sits in silence it means something really bad is about to come. She wonders where Seth and Sara are and how long it will take them to come searching for her and Jack. Will they find them in time? Will they even be able to last that long?

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_

_Yes, I know, I'm evil. You fans from Move Along should know this by now. I utterly enjoy writing cliffies. And I'll make it worse by giving you this little tidbit: next chapter you find out who Brynn's father is. Probably not hard to guess, but hey, I tried to keep it mysterious.  
><em>

_Just remember, if I get more reviews, it might encourage me to post the next chapter faster._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	6. Not Wanting to Acknowledge

_**Author's Note**_

_Hello! Here's the next chapter. This time we find out who Brynn's father is and a little bit more fluff at the end. :)  
><em>

_Go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Not Wanting to Acknowledge<strong>_

"Brynnley, dear," Mr. Wolfe finally says, a falsely friendly smile on his face. Brynn's shoulders tense, waiting for a blow she knows is coming. This levity won't last long. It never does. "I have been worried about you. Running away from home like that. It was very irresponsible."

Jack's head whips back and forth between her and Mr. Wolfe, settling on her in shock. "You _live_ with him?"

"Why, of course she does, Jack." At Jack's continued confusion Mr. Wolfe lets out a barking laugh. "Brynnley, you didn't tell him? Shame on you!" She squirms in her seat as he stares at her, full of devilish intent. He knows she doesn't want Jack to know the truth. And he's going to torture her with this for as long as possible. "But we'll get to that in a moment." He turns to Jack. "It's good to see you again, Jack. I was so disappointed to hear that you did not wish to return to my employment. I was hoping perhaps I could convince you to reconsider."

"I don't think so," Jack growls. "When I told you I was out, I meant it."

Mr. Wolfe chuckles softly. "Oh, Jack, your naivety has always been a great source of amusement to me. Who said anything about you having a choice?"

From one second to the next his expression changes, the polite smile replaced with cold fury. He snaps his fingers and his men converge on them. One places Jack in a headlock. Another grabs Jack's left arm, holding it down on the table. And a third forces Jack's fingers to splay out on the table top and pulls out a knife.

Mr. Wolfe leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. "No one leaves me, Jack. No one."

Brynn moves to do something, anything, but Sebastian places a hand on her shoulder in warning. She freezes. There has to be something she can do. The man with the knife places the blade against Jack's pinkie finger. Jack begins to panic, attempting to struggle, but the combined strength of the men holding him is too strong.

"Stop it!" Brynn pleads with Mr. Wolfe. "Please, you don't need to do this!"

"The way I see it," he says, looking at Jack and ignoring her, "you don't need all of your fingers to drive. So you could stand to lose a few."

"Please, stop it!" Jack grunts as the knife begins to bite down. A line of red seeps up as the skin is broken. And she knows there's only one way to make him stop so she calls Mr. Wolfe the word they both hate. "Dad!"

Movement catches her eye and she looks over Mr. Wolfe's shoulder to see Seth's head poking through the door. His eyes are round with shock and horror. And then he disappears.

He left her.

Mr. Wolfe, her father, snaps his head to her and the cold fury quickly builds into a raging storm behind his dark eyes. He holds up a hand and the man with the knife halts, taking the knife away from Jack's hand. Mr. Wolfe then slowly rises from his seat, placing his palms on the table to lean over her. "I _told_ you," he says in a deadly whisper, "_never_ to call me that!" He lashes out, backhanding her across the face, and her head snaps to the side. "You piece of filth."

She keeps her eyes averted as pain and tears wash down her face. He can say whatever he wants to her now because it doesn't matter anymore. It's out now. Mr. Wolfe is her father. Jack now knows it. Seth now knows it. Most likely Sara knows it, too, either by hearing it or reading Seth's mind. She's been so careful to keep the information out of her head. But it's all over now. She's lost them. No one ever wants to be friends with the monster's daughter.

"You-You're?" Jack grinds out and Brynn closes her eyes, wishing this were all just another one of her nightmares.

"That's right, Jack," Mr. Wolfe says as he sits back down, sounding calm again but there is still that dangerous undertone that means he could still snap at any moment. "Brynnley's full name is Brynnley Leann Wolfe. My daughter."

"_Dunning_," she spits out, finally looking up at her father in hatred. "My last name is Dunning. That's what it says on my birth certificate and that is the only name I'll accept."

"Just because I didn't know you were mine until after you were born, that doesn't mean you still aren't mine," he sneers. "You see, Jack, Brynnley's mother was a girl who used to service to me and my men, among other girls, of course. I like to keep quite a few around the house, as you know. Keeps the men from getting irritable, keeps them in line, though you never took pleasure in their company. When Samantha became pregnant she led me to believe the child growing inside of her was someone else's. If I had known it was mine she knew I would have forced her to have an abortion. I already have sons who are well-bred. I don't need any mongrel offspring, especially from prostitute trash. The man she claimed to be the father played along, out of sympathy I suppose, but a few months after the child was born he messed up a job of mine and bartered the information for leniency. I was quite surprised at the discovery and, naturally, granted him leniency by killing him quickly. I then took Samantha and Brynnley into my home. I thought about killing them many times over the years but Samantha was very enthusiastic in her payments for her and Brynnley's life, especially when it came to protecting her daughter. Which is why, seven years ago she decided to run away with little Brynnley."

"Nine," Brynn corrects, fists clenching in her lap. "It was _nine_ years ago."

"Really, that long ago?" he asks, faking interest. "How time flies. Well, Samantha tried to leave me, taking my daughter with her, and I couldn't have that. So I made an example out of her by killing her." He says it so indifferently, like he's just commenting on the weather, and shrugs his shoulders. "I could have had Brynnley killed then, too, but she's such an amusing little pet that I kept her around. However," he shifts again, the cold hardness coming back, directed fully at her, "just because you're my daughter, that does not make you exempt from punishment." He nods to Sebastian and the man grabs her by the wrist, pulling her out of her chair and flinging her to the floor.

She tries to crawl back using her hands and feet, but then she runs into the legs of someone else. Four men suddenly surround her, Sebastian squatting down at her feet playing with a knife in his hands. "You see, Brynnley," he says. "Mr. Wolfe is getting a little tired of your antics. You've caused him quite a fuss these past two days. You're his property and he doesn't like it when what's his thinks it has the right to run away. So he gave me and the boys permission to teach you a lesson."

Jack struggles against the man still holding him in a headlock. "Leave her alone!"

Brynn blinks in surprise. Even after finding out, Jack still doesn't want her to get hurt?

"Aw, don't worry, Jackie," Sebastian says as he stands. "We won't hurt her. Much. But just you wait till you're older, kid. We'll show you the types of things we used to do to your mom. But for now." He kicks her in the side and she cries out. Her ribs were still pretty beat up from what her father did to them a few days ago and everything that happened yesterday. Now it feels like they're on fire. One of the other men kicks her in her other side and she curls in on herself as they continue to beat her, pleading in her mind for someone to help her. Or to just let her die. But she will endure it as long as she has to. So long as the focus is on her, Jack won't get hurt.

"Brynn!"

She recognizes that voice.

Seth.

She peeks between her arms to see Seth phase through Sebastian to lay himself over top of her, keeping most of his weight on his arms and legs. He's taking the hits for her, except with his abilities he can make himself as hard as stone. One of the men kicks Seth only to cry out in pain, clenching his hurt foot in his hands. Then suddenly a chair flies out of nowhere, hitting Sebastian and knocking him to the ground. More furniture is flung at the other men, knocking them down as well, and she can see Jack break out of the headlock, elbowing the man who was restraining him in the face. When the coast is clear Seth gets up to kneel beside her.

"Brynn, are you alright?" he asks, voice and face filled with concern.

She uncurls from herself, her muscles protesting loudly. "Not really," she says through clenched teeth.

Sara rushes over to kneel next to her as well. "We must leave this place immediately before these men awaken."

"What about m…Mr. Wolfe?"

"Also incapacitated."

Brynn looks over to see Mr. Wolfe slouched in the booth, unconscious, and Jack shaking his hand out, apparently having punched him. There's a lot she wishes she could do to her father to make him pay for what he's done to her, but that will have to be justice enough for now.

Jake comes over to them, hooking an arm beneath her knees and behind her shoulders, lifting her up. She cries out a little as fresh pain spreads through her system. "Sorry, kid, but we gotta move fast."

"Why are you helping me?" she asks. "You heard him. I'm Mr. Wolfe's daughter. Why aren't you just leaving me here?"

He pauses, looking down at her. "Because if I've learned anything since you got into the back of my cab, it's that you're a good kid. You're brave and selfless and kind and absolutely nothing like Mr. Wolfe. I like you, Brynn, and that's not going to change just because of who your dad is."

She wraps her arms around his neck and places her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Jack."

She didn't lose them. They know the truth, but all three of them are still here.

With Jack carrying Brynn, the four of them head back out into the convention, going upstairs in order to look for Alex. Screaming comes from one direction, over towards the booths, and Sara tugs on the sleeve of Jack's jacket to turn them towards the slot machines.

"Why is there screaming?" Jack asks.

"The Siphon is here," Seth says grimly. "That is why we came searching for you."

"Great," Jack deadpans. "Terrific."

Brynn looks behind them over Jack's shoulders and her eyes widen as she sees three men in black suits coming towards them. "Jack, the Men in Black are back!"

"Of course they are." He tightens his grip on her. "Hang on, kid." They run into the middle of the slot machines, weaving between rows in the hopes of losing them, but instead more men appear and they end up surrounded. They stop. "Sara, are you listening to what I'm thinking?"

In answer, Sara pushes her hands out, palms down, and all of the slot machines go crazy around them, making a ton of noise. Everyone jumps up from their seats at the machines, shouting excitedly as coins spill from the slots. The crowd converges around them in the chaos and they allow it to engulf them. They use the distraction to run, the crowd keeping the agents from catching up to them. On their way towards the exit they run into Alex, having just gotten off of the elevator, and Sara grabs her arm to tug her along with them.

"What's going on?" she asks Jack. She notices Brynn in his arms, looking worn. "Oh my gosh, what happened to you?"

"It's a long story," Brynn says. "We'll explain later, but right now we need to get out of here."

"We can't take the cab," Jack says. "They'll be looking for it."

"Then what do we do?" Sara asks.

"I have an idea," Alex says. "Follow me."

Alex leads them back to Harlan's trailer where they tell him more of the bended truth, that government agents have caught up to them and they need help to escape. Harlan jumps at the chance to mess with the agents, along with his two assistants, and they trade the cab keys for the keys to his trailer. With parting waves and good lucks, they drive off in Harlan's RV without anyone giving them any trouble, only stopping long enough to pick up Junkyard.

Brynn shifts uncomfortably where Jack placed her seated on the couch, Seth and Sara sitting on either side of her. Sara looks at her with worry. "Are you alright?"

She moves again, trying to sit up more. Pain stabs through her chest and she takes in a sharp breath. "I'm not sure. I don't think anything's broken though."

"Here, let me see." Alex gets up from the passenger seat at the front of the RV and carefully walks back to them to kneel in front of Brynn. Gently, she feels along Brynn's arms and legs, searching for the feel of broken bones.

"I thought you were a Ph.D., not M.D."

Alex smiles as she slips her hands beneath Brynn's shirt to feel her ribs. "I am only a Ph.D. but I have brothers who were very accident prone when we were little. Still are, actually. They've had broken bones often enough for me to know what they feel like." Her hand presses on a tender spot on the right side of Brynn's ribs and Brynn gasps at the pain. Alex hums thoughtfully, feeling around the spot a little more, and then retracts her hands. "Well, nothing seems to be broken. You definitely have a couple of bruised ribs though. You'll be tender for a couple of weeks, but you'll be fine. Maybe we can find you some painkillers somewhere around here."

At the mention of painkillers, Brynn looks at Seth hopefully. "Do you still have any?"

He smirks, digging into his pocket and handing her more of those leaves he gave her the night before. "Not so disgusting now, are they?"

"Well, it's like you said. Good medicine never tastes good." She eats the leaves, her face screwing up slightly at the gross taste but when the numbing tingling starts to spread through her body she sighs in relief. "Yeah, never going to complain about those things again."

"What is that?" Alex asks, taking one of the leaves from Seth and examining it curiously.

"It is a plant from our planet that acts as a potent pain reliever," Sara says. "It helps the body to heal faster as well."

"Amazing," Alex says softly. "It looks exactly like plants you could find here on Earth. I would love to analyze it further."

"You can do that once all of this is over," Jack says from the driver's seat. "Right now, we need to get to Witch Mountain."

"Right," Alex says, holding down her excitement. She gives Seth the leaf back and returns to her seat next to Jack, pulling out the maps Harlan gave them.

"How long will it take to get there?" Brynn asks.

"A couple of hours," Alex says. "In the meantime, you guys should try to get some sleep."

"Good idea," Sara says. She moves to get up but Brynn takes her hand.

"Wait," Brynn says, looking down at her lap. Sara sits back down and Brynn takes a deep breath. She needs to know, for certain, where they stand. After everything. "You heard, didn't you?"

"Yes," Sara says. "We know that Mr. Wolfe is your father."

Brynn closes her eyes tightly, speaking barely above a whisper, "Do you hate me?"

"Why would we hate you?" Seth asks, and the amount of surprise in his voice makes her look up at him. He really doesn't understand? She is the daughter of that monster. His blood runs through her veins. She's tainted. Ashamed. Why would they ever want to associate with someone like her?

"Oh, Brynn, do not think such thoughts." Sara grasps both of Brynn's hands tightly in hers. "You are our friend. Knowing now who your father is changes nothing."

"We knew nothing about you when we first met," Seth says. "How did you put it? You could have been a psychopath for all we knew."

"Sara would have known if I was a psychopath," Brynn points out. "You know, mind reader and all."

He looks at her, unimpressed. "Not the point."

"Just saying."

"_Anyway_, we knew nothing about you, yet took you with us. My sister is right, the knowledge of who your father is changes nothing. It simply means we know more about you now." He wraps an arm around her and draws her closer until she's leaning against him, her head on his shoulder. _"And I would like to get to know you more," _she hears in her head since Sara still holds her hands.

She smiles, turning her face into the crook of his neck. _"I would like that, too."_

Sara squeezes her hands. _"You two are adorable."_

Brynn jerks upright, looking at Sara with wide eyes and feeling a blush quickly spread across her face. Just what is Sara getting at?

But Seth's arm doesn't fall from her shoulders. He does give his sister one of his death glares though. "Sara," he says slowly, a warning.

Sara smiles innocently. "I simply speak the truth, Seth." She rises from her seat. "Perhaps now we should take Alex's advice and get some rest. We still have a long journey ahead of us."

"Right," Brynn says quietly, suddenly feeling exhausted, but she's afraid to go to sleep. Sara moves to lay on one of the bench seats at the dinner table across from the couch, her small frame allowing her to fit into the narrow space comfortably. Seth goes to join her on the other bench seat but Brynn grabs his arm to stop him. "Wait."

He turns to look at her, his blue eyes clearer than she's ever seen them. The usual coldness is now replaced by a soft warmth when he looks at her. "Yes?"

"Can you stay, please?" she asks, hating the weakness in her voice, but Seth said it's okay not to be strong all the time, right? And even though that bench seat is only feet away, right now it feels like miles. "You can have the couch and I'll take the floor but…please. After what's happened today, I'm afraid the nightmare's going to come back."

"It is no problem," he says softly. "I will stay with you." Before she can move to get up to let him have the couch, Seth carefully lifts her in his arms and maneuvers them until he is lying on his back on the couch and Brynn is curled against him, partly on the couch but mostly on top of Seth. The blush returns and she's unsure what to do at first, but then Seth's arms wrap tightly around her and she relaxes into him. She presses her face into his chest, trying to memorize the smell of pine trees and the feeling of being in his arms, because she wishes that Seth could stay with her, deep down in that place inside herself she's too afraid to acknowledge yet, even though that part of her also knows that, in the end, he won't be able to.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_

_So, Brynn's father is Mr. Wolfe. Yeah, it was probably real easy to see and not really original but it worked for the story.  
><em>

_Anyway, Brynn and Seth are getting closer and closer together. But will it last? We all know what Seth and Sara have to do at the end of this little adventure. _

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	7. The Heart Versus the Mind

_**Author's Note**_

_Hello! I'm really tired so I'm gonna make this quick. You guys might hate me a little for this chapter though. Sorry/not sorry. ;)  
><em>

_Go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Heart Versus the Mind<strong>_

She awakes with a jerk, the last vestiges of a dream fading away until she can't remember what it was about. But the fear she can still feel, making her chest feel tight and her body to shake uncontrollably, a fear that only her father can inflict on her. A soft voice hushes her, gently whispering in her ear, and a hand rubs soothing circles in her back. The fear slowly recedes. Her chest loosens. The shaking stops. She sighs in relief as reality takes a stronger hold. She's never been able to get over a nightmare that fast before. She lifts her head, placing her chin on Seth's chest to look up at him. He still holds her, just like he promised he would. How is it that one boy can make her feel so safe? Like it doesn't matter if Mr. Wolfe ends up finding her again. So long as Seth is with her, she knows she'll be okay. Mr. Wolfe can't even touch her in her dreams.

"Are you alright?" Seth asks, his brow creased with worry.

"I will be," she says, her mouth tilting up in a half-smile. "But if you keep looking at me like that, the look might become permanent."

His eyes shine in amusement. "Stop getting into trouble then so I will not have to worry so much."

"Ah, so you worry about me, huh?" she asks, trying for nonchalant but she really wants to know the answer to this question. She wants to know that, whatever is going on between them, it's not just her. But all traces of amusement fade from his face and a frown tugs at his lips.

"I do worry about you," he says, lifting a hand to trace along the edges of a tender spot on her face where she knows a bruise is. "Perhaps more than I should."

She flinches away from his hand, not at his touch, but at his words. They sting more than the slap to her face did. She sits up, getting off of Seth, and he sits up as well. Suddenly she wants as much space between them as possible. "Why? Is it because I'm human?"

"No. I mean, at first it was. Upon seeing how selfish and cruel humans can be, I vowed never to trust any humans. But you changed my mind on that." He smiles softly, looking at her in a kind of wonderment. "You are a testament to all of the good humans have the potential to be." His smile fades. "But my home is on Sorrel and yours is here, on Earth."

She swallows around the lump forming in her throat. "So you're saying that, once you leave, you'll never come back?"

"I don't know," he says quietly. "But even if I do come back, will this," he gestures with his hand to the two of them, "be fair to either of us? I would never be able to stay for long and you won't be able to come to Sorrel. If we succeed in convincing the government to a scientific solution to our planet's problems, then there will be much work to do, work I must help with. And the unrest in our government and our people from an almost-invasion will make it too dangerous for a human visitor to our planet. The odds of us succeeding in a relationship are greatly against us."

Brynn looks away, feeling tears building in her eyes, but she refuses to cry. She refuses. "So you're saying we should just stay friends?"

He takes in a deep breath and then slowly releases it. "I believe it would be for the best, yes."

"Okay," she whispers, taking her emotions, stuffing them in a box, and shoving them down deep. There's no time to properly deal with this now. Seth doesn't want to try this? Fine. Let him do what he wants. She'll mourn the loss later when she's on her own again and then she'll move on like nothing happened. She gets up, stepping over the still sleeping Junkyard to join Sara at the dinner table. Sara is already awake, sitting up in her seat and sliding over to make room for Brynn to sit next to her. She takes Brynn's hand, squeezes, eyes full of sympathy. Brynn sighs. Looks like this will be another long day.

As time passes they begin to leave the desert behind, the scenery becoming greener and greener until they are surrounded by woods with several mountains looming ahead. It is not long until they are close to the one they want, Witch Mountain. They stop about five miles away, disguise the RV with branches as best they can, make sure to leave plenty of food and water for Junkyard, and then start to make their way on foot using maps thirty years old as their only guide. It's rough terrain going almost constantly uphill, forcing Brynn to focus on her footing and less on her thoughts of Seth, but still they creep in. A part of her understands where Seth is coming from. What if they do try this and they only end up hurting themselves and each other more? And his mission is important. People's lives depend on what he and his sister are doing. She can't, won't, let any feelings get in the way of that.

But a part of her also wishes she could change his mind.

She steps down on a loose stone and it gives way beneath her foot, causing her foot to slide and her to lose her balance. Before she can fall to the ground both Seth and Sara grab her arms on either side of her, helping her to standing again. Her eyes connect with Seth's, his scanning over her to make sure she is alright, and then he lets her go and continues on ahead.

Sara moves her hand to grasp Brynn's and together they continue on as well. _"Are you alright, Brynn?"_ Sara asks with her mind.

"_You heard what he said, back in the RV, didn't you?_ Brynn asks, eyes on her feet.

"_Yes, I did."_

"_Do you…Do you think he was right? Would it be best for us to just leave things as they are?"_

"_I do not know," _she says, voice full of uncertainty. _"My brother is a very logical person. He often makes decisions with is mind and not with his heart. Now his mind and heart are clashing. He wants to be with you, Brynn, just as you want to be with him, but all logic tells him it is impossible and that it would be better not to try at all. He has obligations back home that he would have to ignore if he were to follow his heart."_

"_I don't want him to have to choose between me and helping to save his planet. I understand why he needs to go home. But…."_

"_But feelings, once felt, cannot be ignored. And they shouldn't be. I know my brother has never felt this way about anyone before. I do not want him to lose this opportunity now."_

"_Then what should we do?"_

"_That is not something I can answer. Only time will tell whether the heart or mind will win this battle. You both must decide what it is you want most and what will make you happy."_

Sara squeezes her hand one last time and then lets go, leaving her to her thoughts as the group walks in silence. Brynn isn't sure what she wants. She wants to be with Seth. And Sara. The two of them are the first friends she's ever actually had. She doesn't want to lose either of them. She doesn't like to think about them leaving. That this mission they're on, to retrieve their spaceship from Witch Mountain, is only bringing their departure closer and closer to the present. She'll be all alone. Jack and Alex are sure to go their separate ways again. Although, maybe not, since there seems to be inklings of attraction between them. But still, they'll leave Brynn behind for sure. Seth and Sara are the first people to ever truly care about her.

But with her feelings for Seth, the thought of him leaving her behind is almost physically painful. Seth is smart and brave. He's proven to be one of the kindest and most caring people she knows once his coldness melted away. He makes her feel safe when she has every reason to be afraid. He makes her feel happy, even when she is at her lowest. He sees something in her that she has a hard time seeing herself. All she ever sees is how worthless she is. When she decided to leave the life of being Mr. Wolfe's daughter behind, she knew she would be okay on her own. Being with Seth has shown her that she doesn't want to be.

A little over an hour later they come up on the entrance to the government facility, a tunnel leading into the heart of the mountain, but it's surrounded by guards and a high wire fence. There's no way they can sneak through all of that so they back off behind some rocks to come up with another plan.

"If the map is right, there are several service tunnels running outward," Alex suggests. "Worth looking for, right?"

Something sharp stabs into Brynn and she hisses in pain, grabbing at her neck. Before she can find the source of the pain the world starts to go tilty and fuzzy. She hears someone calling her name and then everything goes black.

* * *

><p>Brynn groans as she comes back to consciousness. Her head is absolutely pounding. Were they doing ping pong in the cab again? Her memories are kind of fuzzy, and she moves to lift a hand to her head. Only she can't. Her eyes fly open and she lifts her head, looking around frantically for anything familiar. She's in a small concrete room with a single door and no windows. The only things in the room are a metal table and two chairs, one on the opposite side of the table and the one she's sitting in, her hands secured behind the back of the chair. She tugs at her wrists. Feels like handcuffs. With a sigh she hangs her head, trying to contain the panic. Okay, what does she know? They were on their way to Witch Mountain, a secret government facility belonging to the Men in Black cosplayers that have been chasing Seth and Sara the past couple of days. They found the entrance but it was too heavily guarded. Alex suggested another way in when…she felt a sharp pain in her neck. And then she woke up here. The agents must have found them and drugged her. That's why she passed out. Meaning they captured her and she's being held in a cell somewhere inside Witch Mountain. She wonders if anyone else was taken, too. She hopes not. Seth and Sara need to get to their ship and get the device containing the results of the experiment home.<p>

They don't have time for her. They should just leave her behind.

The door to the cell opens and a man in a black suit enters, closing the door behind him. He sits down in the other chair. She doesn't recognize him from Stony Creek or Planet Hollywood, but there have been so many people chasing them lately that they all have started to look alike. "So," he begins, turning on a recording device and setting it on the table, "we know that you are human. It was easy enough to find out with a simple blood test. Agent Burke wanted to get rid of you, but then he decided that you might still be useful."

Brynn gulps, not wanting to know what he means by "get rid of" her.

The agent reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out his phone. He presses a few things on the touch screen and then turns it to face her. She gasps. It's a video of a spaceship, Seth's and Sara's spaceship, a big, round, flying saucer. It's sitting in some kind of hanger, here, if she had to guess, since in the bottom right corner there is a label saying "WM Hanger 2" next to a date and time stamp. It looks to be a live feed from a security camera but since she has no idea how long she was out, the date and time stamp could be long since passed for all she knows. "Tell us how to open the craft," the agent demands.

She tears her eyes away from the screen to look at him in surprise. "What makes you think I know how to do that? I'm human, remember?"

"You've been in close contact with them for the past several days. The odds of you seeing them use some sort of device that could open the ship are pretty high."

Brynn rolls her eyes. For all she knows, Sara opens it with her telekinesis. "Sorry, but I really don't know. How about I ask them the next time I see them?"

"_I'm_ sorry, but that won't be happening." He messes with his phone again and when he turns the screen back to her it is playing a new video feed, this time of Seth and Sara, unconscious, strapped to tables inside a glass room while people in hazmat suits work around them.

Her eyes go wide in horror. "What are you doing to them?"

"Preparing them," he says offhandedly as he puts his phone away, "for dissection. Agent Burke and the higher ups want insights into the aliens' biology right away."

"But you can't do that! You'll kill them!"

"In the path to discovery, sacrifices must be made." He shrugs. "Now, tell me, how do we open the ship?"

Her jaw clenches and her eyes go hard in a way that would rival even Seth. "No."

"How do we open the ship?"

"No! Even if I did know what you want, I'm not telling you anything!" How in the world can they even expect her to know how to open the ship? It's not like she's seen them do it before.

Unless…she has.

Realization begins to dawn on her as she thinks back to the GPS device Seth has, the one he used to lead them to the shack. He used that device to open things, like the fridge and the storage room wall. Could it be used to open the ship as well?

He sighs in exasperation. "I was hoping we could do this the easy way, but if you insist on lying to me." He reaches into his jacket again, this time taking out a capped syringe and a small glass bottle filled with a yellow liquid. He uncaps the syringe, sticks the needle through the top of the bottle, and pulls back the plunger, sucking the yellow liquid into the needle. "This is an experimental drug our scientists have been working on. A type of truth serum, if you will. It's mostly for the military, for interrogations and the sort. Torture can be an effective means of securing information, but if a subject dies before the needed information is extracted, well, there's nothing to be done. With this, however," he holds the full syringe out, pushing the plunger slightly to make some of the liquid squirt out, "we can make anyone talk."

Brynn struggles against the handcuffs, trying to squirm away as the agent approaches her with the syringe. She can't let him stick her with it that thing. If she's right and the GPS device can be used to open up more than just refrigerators, then they will be able to get what they want from her. They would have taken the device from Seth when they captured him. And they can learn what to do with it from her.

The agent grabs her by her hair and yanks her head to the side, exposing her neck. "Don't worry," he tells her, "this will only pinch a bit."

A siren suddenly goes off, making both of them jump in surprise. He lets her go, pressing a finger to his ear piece as he listens to what's going on. Brynn smiles triumphantly. It must be Jack and Alex, or maybe Seth and Sara were able to escape on their own. Either way, now the twins can get away, they can get to their ship and get home. But they have to move fast, before they're caught again. They don't have time to rescue her, and she prays that they don't. She's not worth it. Saving Sorrel and Earth, that's more important than saving her. Or whatever feelings for Seth she may have.

"What do you mean, some sort of cyborg?" the agent says into his receiver and Brynn's face drains of color.

The Siphon.

The agent sets the syringe down on the table, pulls out his gun, and goes to the door.

"No, don't!" Brynn warns, but he doesn't listen, opening the door. She can see a concrete hallway with pipes running along the ceiling and storage crates stacked every so often. Agents dressed in tactical gear use the crates as cover, and on the far side of the hallway is the Siphon. The agents fire at him but if they hit him the bullets aren't penetrating his armor at all. His laser gun is very effective though as he blasts at the men, the explosions from the hits sending them flying. They are no match for this. "Close the door!"

The agent who had been questioning her doesn't move. Just stares there staring in horror.

And then the Siphon fires in their direction.

Brynn isn't sure what he hits, just sees the bright flash of light accompanied by a loud explosion that knocks her in her chair to the ground. She lands hard on her shoulder, crying out in pain. Dust fills the air, and from her vantage point on the floor all she can see are the upturned table and chair. Heavy stomps from boots get closer. She holds her breath. She can't see the doorway leading out into the hall but she prays the table is hiding her from view. The Siphon's steps get closer, then pause. She closes her eyes tight, just waiting. And then the steps start to move again, getting softer and farther away as the Siphon rounds the corner and continues on. She sighs in relief.

Okay, so the Siphon is here to destroy the experiment and kill Seth and Sara. Brynn has no idea where Jack and Alex are. She may be the only chance Seth and Sara have of getting away. And she plans on doing all that she can.

Her legs aren't restrained so Brynn manages to rock herself onto her knees and then stands, staying bent over so that the chair doesn't touch the ground. The handcuffs dig into her wrists from the weight of the chair. They must be threaded through the bars of the back of the chair. She needs to find the keys to these cuffs. Glancing around, she sees the agent lying on the ground in the doorway, unmoving. For one sickening moment she thinks he's dead but then she sees his chest rise with an inhale. Just unconscious. With careful maneuvering Brynn gets back down on the floor next to the agent, facing away from him so that her hands can search through his pockets. She's pretty sure she hits him in the face a few times with the chair, but oh well. She may not want him dead, but that's what he gets for what he and his friends have put them through.

"Ah ha!" she whispers, finding a small key in his pants pocket. Blindly, she tries the key on the handcuffs and after a few moments she gets them unlocked. She stands, rubbing her sore wrists. She's free, but now what? She has no idea where to find the others. A glint in the corner of the room catches her eye and she steps closer to get a better look. An evil grin spreads across her face as she picks up the syringe with the truth serum, completely intact. She glares down at the agent. "I think it's time for me to get my own answers."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_

_Yeah, another cliffy. And a little hiccup with the fluff and Seth and Brynn getting together. But do not worry, my friends, I am a sucker for happy endings. Only three more chapters to go and then this puppy is done and I can get back to other things, like Move Along. I know **some** of you will be happy for that, lol.  
><em>

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	8. A Chance to Rebuild

_**Author's Note**_

_Hello! Another chapter done. This is the last chapter that will be covering the movie. Well, that little scene during the credits with Jack and Alex at the conference talking about their book happens at the beginning of next chapter, but this is the last chapter for the main events. It isn't over yet though. There are still two more chapters after this one. I have the next chapter edited as well so, if you are lucky, I may post it tomorrow. We will see.  
><em>

_Now, go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Chance to Rebuild<strong>_

Brynn races down the facility halls using the directions the agent unwillingly gave her. The truth serum didn't give him a choice, and since he took the brunt of the Siphon's attack he was too injured to stop her either. The path of destruction she passes through worries her though. There's a bunch of debris and agents lying everywhere. She tries not to wonder if they're dead or not. The Siphon has clearly been through here, heading in the same direction she is. And the sounds of laser blasts are getting louder. When she gets to the next corner she pauses, peaking her head around the wall. There, only meters away, is the Siphon, firing on more agents who fruitlessly try to put up a fight. She could backtrack, try to find a way around him, but she'll probably just end up getting lost. Her only chance is to go through. She was faster than him once. She can be again.

Steeling her nerves, she takes off running as fast as she can. The Siphon starts to turn, hearing the pounding of her sneakers on the floor, and she moves to the side so that as she passes him she stays just out of his periphery. Now all she has to do is make it to the end of the hall and around the next corner before he shoots her. She keeps her eyes forward and her feet moving, telling herself in a mantra not to look back, to just keep going. The laser gun goes off and she squeaks in surprise when it hits what sounds like just feet behind her. But she doesn't stop, she can't stop, even when blasts start exploding all around her. She dodges back and forth, trying to make herself a harder target, but she keeps moving forward. Only a couple more meters now. She can make it.

A blast hits the ceiling in front of her, causing concrete and pipes to break away and fall down. There's no time to change direction so she ends up running right into it. Something hits her shoulder and fresh pain bursts through her as she's knocked to the ground. Everything is fuzzy for a moment but she urges herself to get up. She has to get up. The stomping of the Siphon's boots gets closer and she looks up to see him standing right in front of her, gun pointed at her head. The gun gives a loud-pitched whine as it powers up for another shot and she closes her eyes, not wanting to watch her own death.

Then strong arms wrap around her. The gun goes off but she doesn't feel a thing.

Her eyes fly open and she's staring into Seth's face. He looks worn and his blue eyes are full of fear, so unlike his usual cool, calm self. The white hospital scrubs he wears make him look even paler. "Come," he says urgently, pulling her to her feet, "we must run."

With her hand tightly grasped in his they run down the hall. The Siphon fires at them again and again but this time Brynn isn't afraid. She's with Seth. He'll keep her safe; keep her from getting hurt. When they reach the end where the hall turns to the left Brynn sees Alex, Jack, and Sara waiting for them. She also sees a couple of grenades in the tactical vest of a fallen agent. "Wait," she says, letting go of Seth's hand to bend down and take two of the grenades. With careful aim she pulls the pins and tosses them in quick procession. Seth then takes her hand again and all of them run in the opposite direction. Soon after there are two loud explosions and the rumbling roar of the ceiling giving way. When the dust settles they creep back to see the hallway completely caved in.

"Do you think it's dead?" Alex asks quietly, as if she's afraid that if she speaks too loudly the Siphon will hear her.

"I hope so," Brynn says. "I hope the entire mountain fell on top of him." With one last, resentful scowl at the rubble she pulls her eyes away to look over the others. "So is everyone okay? The Men in Black creeps didn't hurt anyone?"

"We are fine, Brynn," Sara says with a reassuring smile. "We were more worried about you."

"Yeah," Jack says, "when Alex and I didn't find you with these two we were afraid they decided to get rid of you or something. But then Sara reached out with her voodoo-whatever and found you."

Brynn shakes her head at them. "You shouldn't have bothered trying to find me. You need to get the experiment device back home."

Jack snorts. "Yeah, well, try telling Seth that. He nearly blew a gasket when we couldn't find you."

Seth is looking down at the ground, jaw clenched. His hand still grips hers, almost painfully, but with a sort of desperation. And Brynn realizes that the fear she saw in him moments ago wasn't fear of the Siphon. It was fear for her. Something stirs within her. Something warm. Something hopeful. "Seth?"

His eyes stay down, but he does speak, softly, almost lost, "I couldn't just leave you. I knew the humans would not kill you. I knew the likelihood that you would be alright. I _knew_ I should have just found our ship and completed our mission, but I-I couldn't."

"You _should_ have just left me behind." She thinks back to what he said when they first met. "The mission takes priority, remember? And your ship is here. You can go home. You don't need my help anymore."

"No," Seth growls, pulling her closer to him by the hand. "No. We do need you." He finally looks at her, his eyes a stormy blue, and lifts his free hand to cup her face. "_I_ need you. More than a mission or obligations. I thought that if I could just do something with my life to honor my family and my people, then I would be happy. I was wrong. _You_ proved me wrong."

Seth's hand slides from her cheek to the back of her head and then he swiftly draws her close so that their lips meet in a kiss. She can feel his desperation in the way his lips move against hers, all of the pent up emotions from the last few days, and she responds with just as much ferocity. Her arms wrap around his neck and his arms go around her waist, pressing themselves as close to each other as possible. Her heart soars as her walls crumble, allowing that part of herself she had locked away to rise up and embrace her feelings for Seth. This kiss is a ceasing of denial, an acceptance, a letting go of all logic and allowing themselves to fall.

The kiss slows. He pecks her once, twice, again, long and tenderly, and then he pulls back just enough to rest his forehead against hers. "Whatever happens," he says softly, "I want you to know that you have my heart. No matter what."

She smiles brightly, tightening her hold on him. "And you have mine."

"Seth, Brynn," Sara suddenly says, reminding them that they are not alone, "I know that this is an important moment for the both of you, one that I have been anxiously awaiting, but right now we must make haste before we are apprehended again."

Brynn reluctantly pulls away from Seth, knowing that she is right. They can already hear the running of more agents getting closer. "Right. Let's go." She slips her hand in Seth's and together they race down the halls with Seth using his GPS device to find the ship's location. When they get close they enter a room with a workspace on a metal platform above a bunch of large machines. Jack leads them cautiously inside, moving slowly up the stairs. At the top they are able to see the spaceship down below on the other side. They crouch behind some equipment, staring down at all of the men and women in lab coats working around the ship.

"We have to hurry," Sara says.

"Well, tell them that," Jack says in frustration.

"Good idea," Alex says, putting on one of the white coats and going down to the people below before anyone can stop her. Using her scientific knowledge and an authoritative air, she convinces them that the sirens are an indication that the area is unsafe and that they all need to leave the hanger. Using the threat to call Agent Burke, she finally convinces them to leave. When the coast is clear they all join Alex.

"Nice work," Brynn says.

Alex smiles proudly. "Why, thank you."

"So now what?"

Seth squeezes her hand. "Wait here a moment."

He and Sara climb up some scaffolding next to the ship. Seth attaches the GPS device to the ship's side, just like he did the refrigerator back at the outpost. So it does open up the ship, just like she thought it would. For once, she's actually grateful the Siphon caught up to them. It stopped the agent from using the truth serum on her, stopped her from giving them what they wanted. The device beeps and the ship hums to life, lights coming on and two panels at the front sliding apart to create a doorway. A bright white light shines from within the ship, extending outward in a solid ray to create a ramp up into the ship. The five of them start to climb up the ramp when the sound of guns being drawn makes them turn.

"Thank you!" a man calls down from the platform, the man Brynn takes to be Agent Burke who she hasn't had the "pleasure" of actually meeting yet. And he is not alone. They are completely surrounded by men with very big guns. "We were having a hard time figuring that part out."

Jack steps forward to stand between them and the agents.

"A brave but empty gesture, Mr. Bruno."

"They're just kids," Jack says, but Brynn knows there is no reasoning with men like Agent Burke. He is a man who always gets what he wants, no matter what and no matter the consequences.

Brynn and Seth look at each other. They just found each other. They are not about to lose each other because of one man's obsession. They join hands and step forward, Seth taking Jack's hand. Alex and Sara step forward as well, Alex taking Brynn's hand and Sara taking Jack's. Whatever happens, they're going to face this together. They've gotten through a lot the past couple of days by sticking together. They can get through this.

Brynn isn't sure who gives the order, if anyone, but one of the agents opens fire and it sets off a chain reaction, making all of the other agents fire as well. But she isn't afraid. She believes in Seth and Sara. And she's right to. The bullets hit them but when they do they flatten as if they hit a brick wall. All she feels is a slight pressure, like someone is poking her over and over again. She looks to Seth and he smiles confidently. His abilities are spreading to all of them though their joined hands, just like Sara's do when they touch. Burke calls out for the agents to hold their fire and the shooting stops. Then there is a huge explosion somewhere behind the ship. The Siphon, apparently, isn't dead. They scramble inside the ship, Seth and Sara sitting in the two seats at the front in front of a big glass screen. They activate the screen, touching a bunch of different things on it and the controls on the armrests of their seats until the ship lifts into the air. The screen also acts as a kind of windshield, showing them what is in front of them.

"You do know how to fly this thing, right?" Jack asks nervously.

"How do you think we got here?" Seth retorts.

"Well, you crashed, remember?"

Brynn stands behind Seth, gripping the back of his seat. Something tells her this is going to be a bumpy ride.

The Siphon stands between them and the tunnel leading out of here, and the twins send the ship crashing right into him. Then they are swerving around the curves of the tunnel, knocking into the walls, ceiling, and floor because it is such tight quarters. The end of the tunnel comes into view and they can see the night sky ahead of them, but the hanger doors are closing. Brynn cringes as they get closer. It's going to be a tight fit. But then the twins turn the ship on its side and they shoot out of the tunnel just before the doors close completely. Everyone laughs in relief as they rise higher and higher into the sky, racing away from Witch Mountain.

"We made it!" Brynn says, leaning forward to wrap her arms around Seth's neck from behind.

Seth leans in to her touch. "We did. It's finally over."

The ship gives a sudden lurch, their flying becoming unsteady. "What was that?" Alex asks worriedly.

Seth looks over the screen. "The air lock is jammed. I need to manually override the system."

"You two fly," Jack says. "Just tell me what to do."

After relaying quick instructions, Jack goes off to fix the air lock. However, after several minutes and the ship still not evening out, they begin to become worried.

"Brynn, it takes two to fly the ship," Seth says, getting up from his seat while keeping his hand on the orb on the left armrest of his chair. "I need you to take the controls."

"O-Okay," she says, sitting down and taking the controls from him. She has no freaking idea what she's doing.

"Don't worry. Just keep it steady and you'll be fine." Seth then goes off in the direction Jack went.

The orbs feel funny on her hands. There's a sort of electricity running through them, tingling her palms and pulling them in the direction that the ship tilts and jerks, like a water current tugging her hands. She tugs back, trying to keep the ship as level as she can, but as the minutes slowly pass the ship becomes more and more unstable. She starts to worry that it's going to make them crash when suddenly the tugging stops and she's able to effortlessly even the ship out. The three of them breathe a sigh of relief as the flight becomes smooth. Seth and Jack return with Seth retaking his seat.

"Any problems?" Brynn asks, reluctantly giving up the controls. She had been flying a spaceship and it was freaking _awesome_.

"The Siphon had returned," Seth informs them, "but he is now permanently dealt with."

"And we're sure this time?"

"Most definitely yes," Jack says.

Brynn feels herself finally relax. They're in the clear now. But that just means one thing.

It's time to say goodbye.

They land in a field next to where they hid the RV, all of them piling out. Brynn keeps her distance from everyone as Seth and Sara say goodbye to Jack and Alex. She thought she was ready for this, but she's not. The pain she's endured at the hands of her father and his men, none of that compares to the ache she feels in her heart now. She has her eyes trained on the ground when she sees Seth's and Sara's shoes in front of her. She doesn't look up. She's too busy trying not to cry. But when Sara wraps her arms around Brynn in a hug she feels her resolve slip as she clings back. She can't cry. She has to be strong for this. When Sara pulls back she's proud of herself that her eyes aren't blurry at all.

"Thank you, Brynn, for all that you've done," Sara says with a warm smile. "You truly are one of our dearest friends."

Brynn nods, not trusting her voice right now. And then she turns to Seth. By the look on his face, he's hurting just as much as she is by this. His Adam's-apple bobs in his throat as he swallows. "Brynn…I…."

And there goes the rest of her will-power. As the first tear falls down her face they reach for each other at the same time, coming together in a fierce hug. Her face is buried in his chest and her fingers clutch at the back of his shirt, not wanting to let go. She doesn't want him to go. She knows he has to, but she doesn't want him to leave her.

"Are you sure I can't come with you?" she whispers.

"I wish," Seth says against the top of her head, "but no, you can't. It is too dangerous for humans on our planet right now."

"Then what do I do? I mean, I had no idea where I was going before this little adventure started. I just knew I needed to get far away from my father. Now I still don't know where to go."

"I think we have an answer to that." Jack steps forward and Brynn looks up at him questioningly. "You can come with Alex and me."

Brynn straightens in Seth's arms, looking wide-eyed at Jack. "Are you serious?"

"Of course we are," Alex says. "Burke and his goons are still going to be after us. We need to stick together so that we don't end up kidnapped and dumped in a ditch somewhere."

Jack nods. "Plus Wolfe is still going to be after us because of what happened at Planet Hollywood. We've got a big storm chasing us and we need to find a way to get ahead of it. And you're not going to be able to do that on your own. So what do you say, kid? Are you willing to stick with us?"

Brynn gives him a watery smile. The four of them, she already considers them to be her family. They're more of a family than she's ever had, except for her mother. Now it's time for her to rebuild again. "Yeah, I'd love to go with you."

"Alright, sweety," Alex says, backing up and pulling Jack with her. "We'll just let you guys…finish up."

Brynn looks up at Seth and he lifts a hand to brush her tears away. "Well, looks like I have a plan now," she says.

"And now I do not have to worry about you as much," he says.

She gives a breathy laugh. "Yeah, right, you know you're going to worry anyway."

A corner of his mouth tilts up. "Yes, I know I will." The smile vanishes and his eyes bore into hers with sadness and longing. Their lips come together in a kiss that Brynn feels all the way down to her toes. Her hands go into his short hair, trying to hold him there, but all too soon they break apart. Their eyes meet again and this time Seth's are glassy. "I _will_ come back to you. I swear."

"You better," she chokes out, her own tears returning. "Or else I will tear apart galaxies trying to find you."

"I do not doubt that." One of his arms unwraps from around her to hold out the GPS device to her. "Here. I want you to have this. So long as it is in your possession, I will be able to find you again."

She takes it, holding it close to her chest. "I'll be waiting."

He kisses her one last time, lingering as long as possible, but they both know it is time for him and Sara to go before they are found again. They part, both of them reaching out to each other as he moves away until finally their fingertips slip away. He rejoins his sister in the shuttle and Brynn goes to stand between Jack and Alex. The three of them join hands as the twins disappear and the shuttle takes off into the night, racing out into the darkness of space. On their way home.

But Brynn feels like her home is being taken away from her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_

_So, Brynn and Seth are together but apart. Yeah, it had to happen. But like I said, happy endings, I love 'em. So, obviously, I will be doing Seth's and Sara's return, and more than just hinting at it like in the movie. However, even there, that is not where this story will end. This is still Brynn's story and she has more things to wrap up and deal with than just waiting for Seth to come back to her.  
><em>

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	9. Missing Pieces

_**Author's Note**_

_Hello again! As promised, another chapter. After this there is only one more chapter to go. I'll probably post it sometime tomorrow. And then this baby will be complete. And I can get back to other things. XD  
><em>

_Now, go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Missing Pieces<strong>_

Over time, Brynn, Jack, and Alex, and Junkyard of course, carve out a new life for themselves. With the help of Dr. Harlan and his assistants they are able to get safely off the grid, lying low from everyone hunting them down. Right away they know things can't stay like this, moving from place to place every few months working any jobs they can get their hands on, so they write down every detail they can remember from their grand adventure and work on sculpting it into a book. Harlan then sets them up with his publisher and they get their story out there within eight months. It is an immediate success, in both the alien fanatic community and nationwide. The publicity acts as a security blanket. Now, if anything were to happen to them, it would only prove their story to be true and cause people to rise up against the government. So gradually, they come out of hiding. Jack buys the car of his dreams, the honest way. They buy a house out in the Nevada farmlands, a big two-story house with a wraparound porch and a big grassy pasture. Alex could probably by now return to the life she left behind, but instead she stays with them. Brynn firmly believes it is because of Jack, even though Alex denies it. Alex and Jack have slowly gotten closer and closer the past several months, but the two of them are too oblivious of their feelings to act on them. Brynn knows it is only a matter of time though.

The UFO Convention then rolls back around and they are invited to give a conference on their book. Jack and Brynn are instantly wary. They have not once set foot back in Las Vegas in the past year. Brynn hasn't even attended public school during all that time, with Alex homeschooling her. Because there is still one fear they have not rid themselves of: Mr. Wolfe. Wolfe's men have caught up with them twice. Once, when Jack got a call on the phone in their motel room, warning them to turn themselves in to Mr. Wolfe in exchange for leniency. The other time Brynn saw the guys from the taxi lot, when she and Alex were walking to the grocery store. Both times they had automatically fled, not stopping for days until they were sure they had lost them. But it is just a reminder that Mr. Wolfe is never going to let them go. More specifically, he's never going to let his daughter go. He wants back what's his.

However, Brynn agrees that they should go to the UFO Convention. Perhaps if they go big enough and loud enough, then even Mr. Wolfe will be scared away. It is the only chance they have to finally be free.

So they go. And they draw a massive crowd, leaving standing room only in the conference room. Brynn sits in the front row, Junkyard sitting at her feet, and just watches Jack and Alex give their speeches and answer questions. She tunes most of it out. She thought about joining them up there, at first, but she couldn't bring herself to. Talking about Seth and Sara, it still hurts too much. She still has the GPS device, carrying it around with her wherever she goes in the messenger bag she miraculously managed not to lose during the whole ordeal. There hasn't been a peep from it, and she's starting to get worried. She knows that everything will probably take some time, convincing the government against invasion and planning out everything that needs to be done to save their planet, but a part of her worries that something may have gone wrong. Or, that maybe Seth isn't going to keep his promise of coming back to her, no matter what happens.

The room erupts into applause, shaking Brynn out of her thoughts. Seth cares about her, she knows that. He'll come back to her. He just needs more time. Even though it has already been a year.

She takes Junkyard's leash and joins Jack and Alex as they head out of the convention, moving through an enormous sea of fans the entire way out. Jack and Alex pause every so often to sign autographs, with people even occasionally asking for hers. She may not like to be in the spotlight but she is still part of the book.

And that's when she sees him. Out in the middle of the crowd stands Sebastian, a familiar, malicious grin on his face. She freezes, her hand blindly finding Jack's.

"What's up, kiddo?" Jack asks. Her fear has constricted her vocal cords so she just points. Jack follows her gaze and when he sees Sebastian he tenses. "Don't worry, Brynn," he growls. "I'm not letting them get to you again. We're both out. For good."

Jack whispers something to Alex and then they are quickly moving through the crowd, Jack and Alex on either side of her with Junkyard walking in front of her, acting as a shield. They climb into Jack's car, Jack and Alex up front, Brynn and Junkyard in the back, and Jack steps on the gas, weaving dangerously in and out of traffic to take them out of the city. The entire time Brynn is turned in her seat staring out the back window, waiting to see cars following them but as they leave Las Vegas behind and are engulfed by the desert it doesn't look like anyone is chasing them. She faces front again, sinking into her seat with a deep sigh.

"I was such an idiot," Jack says, clenching the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turn white. "We never should have gone to the convention. Planet Hollywood is Wolfe's backyard. I was stupid to think we could get in and out without him knowing."

"It's not your fault," Brynn says softly, suddenly feeling exhausted. "I'm the one who said we should go. If anyone's an idiot, it's me."

The three of them go silent, Junkyard plopping his head in Brynn's lap and she strokes his fur absently. After a few moment's Alex speaks up, "What is that beeping?"

Brynn's brow furrows, wondering what she's talking about, but then she hears it too. She looks around, trying to follow the sound, only to realize it is coming from her bag. She digs into it and pulls out the GPS device. Her heart stops and then picks up double time. The device is beeping and its lights are flashing. A bright grin spreads across her face. "It's Seth and Sara. They're coming."

* * *

><p>Brynn sits on the window seat in her room, staring out at the night sky with her knees drawn to her chest. The GPS device sits on the seat next to her, still beeping quietly, along with her sketchbook turned to the picture of Seth she drew back in the cab. Over twenty-four hours have past but still no sign of Seth and Sara. She sighs, leaning her head against the cool window glass. She feels exhausted but there is no chance of sleep for her.<p>

Someone knocks on her door and she tells them to enter without turning her head. She hears the door open and close, and then Alex sits next to her on the window seat wearing a bathrobe over her baggy T-shirt and red plaid pajama pants. "Can't sleep?" Alex asks.

"Nope," Brynn says simply.

"Is it the nightmares again?"

"Yep." The nightmares have returned the past few weeks, as they always do this time of year. "The anniversary of my mother's death is tomorrow. Well," she glances at the alarm clock sitting on her nightstand, "today, depending on how you look at it. I probably have another week or two before I'll be able to get a decent night's rest."

"It's more than just your mother's death though, isn't it?" Alex says, more of statement than a question.

Brynn is quiet for a moment before nodding. "I see Seth in them sometimes, too, now. Sometimes even Sara. I guess it's because they left on the anniversary." She tightens her hold on her legs. "I wish they would get here already, then maybe it won't be so bad, but…."

"But what?"

"But…what if they have to leave again? What if he can never stay?"

"Oh, sweaty." Alex shifts so that she can place her arm around Brynn's shoulders, drawing Brynn into her side. "I know that it's hard now, but during the short time I saw the two of you together I knew you had something special, something lasting. It'll all work out in the end."

"What, you mean like fate?"

"No, science. It's called Chaos Theory, the underlying order, inapparently random data." Alex fidgets excitedly like she always does when she starts talking about science. "Think about it, what were the odds that Seth and Sara would crash near Vegas during a UFO convention? I got into Jack's cab, you and them got into Jack's cab. Then we ended up in Harlan's mobile home loaded with _his_ intel on where their ship was. That wasn't luck, it was a predetermined order of how things work in the universe. And you are a part of that order, too. You are part of the Chaos Theory. I think you and Seth were meant to come together. So chin up. The order always rights itself in the end."

Brynn nods, not really sure she gets it, because that sounds an awful lot like fate, but either way, it's a nice thought. That she and Seth are meant to be together. "Thanks, Alex." She stands, heading towards her bed. "I think I'll try to get some sleep now."

"Good idea." Alex goes towards the door and flips off the light once Brynn is settled into bed. "Goodnight, Brynn."

"Night, Alex." Alex then shuts the door and Brynn curls up on her side, holding the GPS device close and the sketchbook propped against the lamp on her nightstand so that it's almost as if Seth is watching over her. Closing her eyes, she focuses on the beeping of the device and nothing else, letting her mind drift off with the noise and hopefully to a place where she can dream better dreams.

* * *

><p>It's raining this time, probably an influence of the rain they had the day before. The cold water soaks her clothes causing shivers to run through her body. Her limp hair clings to her face, making it hard to see. When she wipes the strands away she can see the car pull into the driveway in front of Mr. Wolfe's house. She gulps, already feeling the warm tears intermingle with the rain falling down her face. She doesn't want to see this again. Not again. But she does. Her mother is dragged out of the house, Mr. Wolfe walking out in front of her with a self-satisfied smile on his face. A man beside him holds an umbrella above Mr. Wolfe's head while everyone else gets drenched. Her mother is stuffed in the trunk, Brynn struggling against the hands holding her back, but this time the trunk hatch doesn't slam down right away. This time, someone else is dragged out of the house as well.<p>

Seth.

His hair turns dark in the rain and there are bruises covering his face, but it's him. Two men half drag, half carry him out of the house. He looks so worn, beaten, defeated. So unlike the brave, confident Seth she knows. She keeps waiting for him to do something, to phase through the hands holding him and fight his way out of this, to save her and her mother, but he just allows himself to be stuffed in the trunk as well. Finally he looks up at her, his blue eyes scared, pleading.

"Brynn," he says, his voice carrying to her despite the roar of the heavy downpour, "help me."

"Seth!" she screams, doubling her efforts to break free and run to him, but it's useless. "Let him go!" she pleads with her father. "Let him go! Take me instead!"

The trunk slams down."

"Please, take me instead!"

Mr. Wolfe gets into the car and it begins to drive off.

"Please, don't take him from me! Don't take him from me!"

* * *

><p>She awakes with a gasp, sitting bolt upright in bed. Her heart races in her chest as if it is beating against her ribcage, wanting out. Taking deep breaths, she tries to calm herself. It was just a dream. It was only a dream. Then she realizes how quiet it is. She picks up the GPS device from where it sits on the nightstand and holds it up for her to see in the dim morning light. It's not beeping anymore. Its lights are off. What is that supposed to mean?<p>

She climbs out of bed, leaving her room to knock on Alex's door. When there is no response she cracks the door open. The room is empty, the bed perfectly made. She goes to Jack's room across the hall, thinking maybe the two of them finally got their acts together, but it is empty as well. They're both gone. Maybe they're up already? She heads downstairs, the wooden floorboards creaking beneath her bare feet, but the living room and kitchen are both empty, the lights off. Opening the front door of the house, she looks through the screen door at the front yard. It's empty with only indentations in the grass showing where Jack's car should be. She clutches the device to her chest. Did they leave her? Did they all leave her?

"Of course they did, Brynnley," a dark voice says behind her, a voice she knows well. Brynn slowly turns to see her father sitting in the recliner in the living room. "Why would anyone want you around? What good are you to them?"

"They care about me," she tells him, her voice shaking slightly. "We're a family. And Seth-"

"Isn't coming back." He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out the GPS device. Brynn looks down at her hands, shocked to find them empty. "You do know what this means, don't you? No more lights. No more beeping. Completely dead." He stands, walking towards her. "It means they are not coming anymore."

She shakes her head, not wanting to believe him. "No…."

"It means they are not coming back to you."

"No…."

"Seth is never coming back to you."

* * *

><p>"No!" Brynn screams, her mind flinging from the dream back to reality but it still feels like Mr. Wolfe is there, taunting her. The room is dark and she can feel hands on her and she struggles, kicking and screaming. Voices say something but her half-asleep mind cannot comprehend the words. A light turns on and she closes her eyes tight against the brightness.<p>

"Brynn, please, it is only us!" a voice says, a familiar voice, but when strong arms wrap around her she only struggles more. "Brynn, it is alright! You are safe!"

Then the smell of pine trees registers in her brain and she suddenly stops moving altogether. It even feels like she's stopped breathing. Because it can't be. It can't be.

"It is alright, Brynn," another voice says that sounds an awful lot like Sara. "We really are here."

"What is wrong?" the first voice says again and she covers her mouth with her hand to try and stop the whimper from coming out. Seth. It's Seth.

"She is afraid that this is a dream and that as soon as she opens her eyes she will wake up and we will disappear."

The arms tighten around her and they no longer feel constricting. They feel strong with the need to protect and comfort and they ease her fully out of her dream. She can feel the chest she's leaning against, hear a steady heartbeat against her ear. She can feel a hand cupping the side of her face, a thumb stroking her cheek to catch her tears, lips pressing against her forehead. "We are here, Brynn. I promised I would come back to you and now I have. So please, open your eyes."

With a steadying breath her eyes crack open and there he is, Seth, his face just inches from hers. His hair is slightly longer than she remembers and there are dark circles under his eyes almost as dark as hers, but it's him. Her Seth. She hesitantly lifts a hand, her fingertips ghosting along his jaw, and it feels real. A small smile forms on her lips. "Hey," she whispers.

He smiles back, his blue eyes turning soft in a way they only ever do for her. "Hello."

He adjusts his hold on her to bring her closer to him and she slips a hand into his hair to pull him closer to her. Their lips meet in the middle, first with just the lightest of touches, and then the kiss turns deeper with all of the need and longing and loneliness that has been building in both of them the past year coming out at once. If this is a dream, then she doesn't want to wake up. Not now, not ever.

When they finally pull apart they are both breathing heavy. "Are all of your greetings going to be like that?" he asks with a smirk.

Brynn chuckles breathlessly. "If you don't like it, I can stop."

Seth leans down to kiss her again. "No, that is something I could get used to."

"Does that mean you're going to be around more in order to get used to it?" she asks hopefully, playing with the collar of the blue shirt he wears without looking at him. She's afraid of what his answer will be, that he'll only be able to be here for a few weeks, or only a few days, and then he'll have to leave again.

Sara reaches over and takes her hand. _"Oh, Brynn, it is not like that."_

Brynn grins. _"You have no idea how much I've missed talking like this."_

"_We have missed talking with you like this as well,"_ Seth says. _"And we will have many more opportunities in the future."_

She sits up in bed to lean against the headboard, Seth and Sara moving to sit on either side of her with their hands joined. _"What are you saying?"_

Seth laces his fingers with hers, drawing her attention. He leans his head down so his eyes are level with hers. _"I'm saying that we are staying, Brynn. Our government has accepted our parents' proposal to save our planet with the scientific discovery they made. However, more research is needed, here, on Earth."_

"_When you get what you need, will you have to go back?" _she asks, not wanting to get her hopes up that this is still a temporary thing.

"_We have brought equipment with us,"_ Sara answers, _"that will allow us to communicate with our parents back on Sorrel. We will be able to send and receive data on the experiment. There will be no need for us to return for some time."_

"_And when that time comes we will not be gone for as long," _Seth says. _"Both my sister and I have talked with our parents. When all of this is finished and our planet on the course to recovery, we wish to remain on Earth."_

Brynn's mouth falls open and she looks back and forth between them. _"Are you sure? Even you, Sara?"_

Sara nods. _"Yes, I am sure. Where my brother goes, I go. Rarely are twins ever separated on our planet and I would never dream of denying Seth the chance to be with you. I would also love to spend time with you, my sister, and Jack and Alex and Junkyard, too. Besides, it is not as if we will never be able to return home. Maybe when we visit you can come with us?"_

She smiles. _"I would like that very much. My sister."_

She gets to keep them. Brynn gets to stay with both Seth and Sara, her best friends, her family. So much happiness wells up inside of her, overwhelming everything else, and she doesn't know what to say. So they don't say anything, just sit contentedly in the presence of loved ones until they each drift off to sleep.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_

_So, Seth and Sara are back, they're here to stay, it should be the end now, right? Wrong. Brynn still has some stuff to take care of before her story is complete.  
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_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	10. Order Restored

_**Author's Note**_

_Hello! Alright, my friends, here is the final installment of Chaos Theory. Time to wrap things up and stick it to Wolfe once and for all.  
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_Go onward and enjoy!_

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><p><em><strong>Order Restored<strong>_

When Brynn drifts back to consciousness she doesn't want to move. It feels like she's surrounded by a pleasant warmth all around her, enveloping her in a cocoon of safety and comfort. She wonders what it is, though, because her blankets are soft and fluffy but not this good. Her eyes open, vision blurry with drowsiness which she tries to blink away to focus on the green numbers of her clock. It's a little after ten in the morning. She groans, pressing the side of her face into the pillow. She should probably get up now, before Jack decides to drag her out of bed feet first again.

She's just steeling herself to sit up when something moves behind her and something tightens around her waist, the stirring bringing with it the fresh smell of pine trees. Then she remembers. Seth and Sara have returned. The bed in front of her is empty meaning Sara must already be up, but Seth is still here, spooned around her from behind with an arm around her waist. Carefully, she turns to lay on her other side, facing Seth. He's sound asleep, mouth slightly open, and she just stares at him for a few moments. It's hard to believe that this is real, that Seth is here with her, like this. That he gets to stay. They have a real chance now to be together, to find out where a relationship is going to take them. She's a little nervous. She's never had a boyfriend before. Everyone at school always avoided her because of who her father is. But Sara said she's never seen Seth care about anyone like he cares about Brynn. That probably means he's in the same boat she's in. But they can figure this out. Together.

Seth breathes in deeply, tightening his hold on her, and then his eyes slowly open. When he sees her a soft, sleepy smile lights his face. "Good morning."

She smiles back, snuggling closer. "Morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did actually."

She raises a hand to his face, touching the dark circle under one eye with her fingertip. He definitely looks better, more rested, but there is still a heavy air of exhaustion about him. "Then why do you look like you were run over by a freight train?"

He takes her hand and presses her fingers to his lips. "When we returned home, my parents, sister, and I worked tirelessly on the project to save our planet."

"I can understand that. The situation on Sorrel must be getting worse by the day. You need a solution as fast as possible." She squeezes his hand. "But did you really need to run yourself ragged? You look horrible."

"I did push myself. Hard. But it was not just for my people. It was so I could return to you."

That is either the stupidest or the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for her. Brynn tries to be mad at him for working himself so hard just for her, but she already knows what he'll say. So she just snuggles closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and their legs tangling together. "I missed you, too."

Seth presses his face into her hair, breathing in. "Yes, very much so." He brushes hair away from her face, kissing her forehead. "What about you? The nightmares have returned?"

"Yeah," she says with a sigh. "They've been bad. Especially since Mr. Wolfe has made it abundantly clear he isn't simply going to let me go."

Seth's eyes go hard. "He's been after you again?"

She nods. "He just won't leave me alone, Seth. I don't know what to do."

He shifts so that he's lying on his back, drawing Brynn to his side with her head resting on his shoulder. Like he can keep her safe just by eliminating as much space between them as possible. "You lived with him the majority of your life, correct?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Then you know what goes on inside his house and the workings of his operation. Is there some secret you could use against him? Something he would do anything to protect?"

A secret that she knows? Mr. Wolfe keeps everything pretty close to his chest. Not even Sebastian, the person who would probably be considered closest to Mr. Wolfe, knows all of the details of what goes on in the gang. How is she supposed to know anything then? She's his pet. He keeps her on a short leash, locked away until he decides to play with her. She doesn't know about his "business" at all. He keeps all of that out of her reach in his study.

Wait…His study.

She grins, propping herself up on her elbows to lean over Seth. "You are amazing, you know that?"

He quirks an eyebrow at her, an amused smirk spreading across his face. "I am not going to argue with you but what exactly brought you to that conclusion?"

Instead of answering she kisses him and then jumps out of bed, running excitedly out of her room and down the stairs in search of the others. She finds them in the living room, Jack reading the paper, Alex reading a science journal, and Sara on the floor playing with Junkyard. When she comes bounding into the room they look up at her.

"Hey, kiddo," Jack says. "About time you decided to get up."

"Guys, I need your help with something," Brynn says, her mind already racing a mile a minute with her plan. It's crazy and dangerous and if they get caught they will live only just long enough to regret it. But if they succeed….

"Brynn," Sara says, looking confused as to what she hears going on inside Brynn's head, "are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely."

"Sure about what?" Seth asks, having caught up and coming to stand beside Brynn.

Alex sets her science journal aside on the coffee table. "Yeah, what's going on?"

Brynn bites her lip nervously, but yeah, she's sure about this. It's the only way. "I need your help to break into Mr. Wolfe's house."

* * *

><p><em>Two weeks later…<em>

Jack's car pulls through the gate of Mr. Wolfe's house, the mansion that had been Brynn's home for sixteen years looming ahead. It comes to a stop and one of his men opens the doors for them. The five of them pile out, heading inside with men flanking them. Mr. Wolfe is trying to intimidate them and regain some of the advantage he's lost. After some serious planning they were able to break in and out of his house without setting off a single alarm, thanks to Seth's and Sara's abilities. Of course, Mr. Wolfe doesn't know they had extraterrestrial help. The break in made him appear weak and defenseless to his men. And they were able to take something very precious to him. Brynn clutches the strap to her messenger bag in her hands, keeping her head held high. This time, _she_ has the upper hand. This time, she's going to make _him_ squirm.

They're taken straight to Mr. Wolfe's study, where he stands at the window with his back turned to them. He seems perfectly calm but his hands are clasped firmly behind his back, knuckles turning white. He is furious, Brynn can feel it in her bones, and it won't take much to set him off. She swallows thickly as she steps into the room. There are two chairs in front of the desk but Brynn just stays standing, too nervous to sit. Suddenly she's thinking about all the ways this could go wrong. They've walked into the lion's den. There may be no walking back out.

Seth's hand touches the small of her back and she takes in a breath, not realizing that she had been holding it. It reminds her that she's not alone. She doesn't have to face her father alone, like all the times before. Seth, Sara, Jack, and Alex are all standing with her.

"So the mongrel returns," Mr. Wolfe says, his voice dark, cold. He turns to face them and there's no trace of the false friendliness he showed last time. Now it is just the storm. "Have you come back to grovel before your master, mongrel?"

Brynn clenches her hands at her sides. No. No more. She will no longer be his mongrel. "I'm not here to _grovel_," she tells him. "I'm here to make _you_ grovel."

He sits down at his desk, folding his hands neatly in front of him. "Oh really?"

"Yes. Because I have something you want." She pulls out a book from her bag. Mr. Wolfe's ledger, where he records all of the gang's dealings, from every drug distributer to every weapons cache. "If the police gets ahold of this your entire empire comes crumbling down."

"And what's to stop me," he leans forward, eyes gleaming, "from simply taking my ledger from you right now and slitting all of your throats?"

Seth steps in front of her protectively. "If you want to touch her you will have to go through me," he warns, but Mr. Wolfe doesn't even bat an eyelash. Instead, he laughs.

"Why, Brynnley, have you turned into your mother at last and slithered your way into this boy's heart in order to gain his measly protection? It won't do you any good. We both know it didn't help Samantha."

"Don't you talk about my mom like that!" Brynn snaps, moving out from behind Seth to stand next to him. He shoots her a disapproving look but she ignores him. "She wasn't like you. We don't treat people like playthings to be used and then thrown away."

He shakes his head in amusement. "You are so naive, Brynnley. But believe what you will. There is still no denying that I am a part of you. You have my blood."

"Brynn is nothing like you," Seth growls. "Blood is the only thing you share."

Mr. Wolfe narrows his eyes at Seth. "I tire of this little pet of yours, Brynnley." He snaps his fingers and his men draw their guns.

"You touch any of us and I will end you!" Brynn says, eyes hard and steady, making sure they know she's not bluffing. The men hesitate, glancing at Mr. Wolfe.

"You keep saying that but I find it hard to believe."

Sara touches Brynn's arm. _"Brynn, his patience is wearing out. It will not be long before he decides to simply kill us. You must act quickly."_

Brynn nods almost imperceptibly. It's now or never. "Do you really think we didn't prepare for this? Why do you think it took us a couple of days to approach you after stealing the ledger right from under your nose?" His jaw clenches and she smirks. "Jack?"

Jack reaches into his jacket pocket and Mr. Wolfe's men all shift their guns to him. He stops, holding up a hand to show he means no harm. "Easy, fellas." He pulls out several photos from his pocket. "It's harmless, I swear. Unless you don't like paper cuts."

"What is that?" Mr. Wolfe asks, sounding curious. And maybe even a little worried though he's trying to hide it.

"Proof." Jack slaps the photos down on the desk. Mr. Wolfe fans them out to inspect. They're pictures of packets of paper with information that Mr. Wolfe is sure to find familiar. "We made copies of the ledger."

"One we gave to a close friend," Alex says. "If he doesn't hear from us at least once a week he will take his copy to the police. And we have three other copies locked away in separate locations for safe keeping."

Brynn walks forward, placing a hand on the desk, and leans in close to his face. "It's over, _dad_. You're finished. So unless you want to go to jail you are going to let Jack and me out of the gang and we are all going to go our separate ways."

Mr. Wolfe glares at her, his dark eyes meeting her green. She can see the storm in them about to burst, the dam of his control close to breaking, but then she sees it die. He leans back, sagging in his chair with a deep sigh. "Let them go," he says, voice full of defeat.

"But sir!" one of his men protests but Mr. Wolfe shakes his head.

"It would seem I have been beaten at my own game." His eyes follow her movements as she straightens in triumph and places the ledger back in her bag. "My hands are tied. For now. You and your friends may leave, Brynnley, but you will be seeing us again."

"Perhaps," Brynn says, "but just remember that if you aren't careful, the next time we meet will be with you behind bars."

She turns, weaving between the armed men to exit the study, the others following behind her. They pass several other men as they go through the house, all of them staring at her in shock. Shock that she and her friends could have defeated the mighty Wolfe. She just stares straight ahead and keeps moving. These people don't hold any power over her. Not anymore. Now, she is leaving it all behind. Now, finally, she is truly getting out for good. As she approaches the front door she can feel the excitement and anticipation building inside of her. Freedom is right there through those doors.

But then Sara's eyes go wide. "Brynn, look out!"

Before she can react someone grabs her arm and yanks her away, spinning her around until her back is pressed against someone's chest, a constricting arm keeping her from moving, and a familiar knife at her throat. Everyone tenses but no one moves.

"You're not going anywhere, little Brynnley," Sebastian says, mouth pressed to her ear.

Brynn struggles against his hold but he presses the knife harder against her skin. She hisses as the cold metal stings. Seth takes a step forward, cold fury in his eyes, but Sara takes his arm to hold him back. They have to wait for the right time. Sebastian and his knives have caused her a lot of pain in the past. She knows he won't hesitate to use them. But she will no longer fear them, because she is not the same scared little girl she used to be. She is not powerless. And she is not alone.

"It's over, Sebastian," Brynn says. "If you do anything to me, Mr. Wolfe and everyone will be finished. Including you."

"No, we won't. I just got to find your little friend. And once I deal with them, I'll finally deal with you. Teach you that lesson I promised. I'm sure Mr. Wolfe would love to see that."

Brynn laughs humorlessly. "Sounds like you're more of a pet than I ever was. Always wanting to impress your master; doing as you're told, trying to find ways to please him. You're just a dog, Sebastian, looking for your treat. But there is no treat for you now."

She can hear the boiling anger in his voice when he speaks, "Is that right? Well, if I'm a dog, then that makes you a little kitty cat. And we all know what happens when a dog catches a cat." His knife digs in a little deeper and she can feel a bit of blood drip down her neck.

"I don't think so. This cat has claws."

She looks at Sara. _"Now!"_

Brynn and Seth move at the same time. She stomps down on Sebastian's foot, causing him to cry out in pain and his hold on her loosens a little. Seth rushes forward, grabbing the knife's blade, his abilities keeping him from getting hurt. He yanks it from Sebastian's grasp as Brynn knocks her head back as hard as she can. Something snaps, it feels like Sebastian's nose. He shouts out a curse and Seth grabs her arm, pulling her free. She presses herself as close to him as possible, her arms around his middle and his arm going around her waist. Sebastian holds his nose, blood gushing down his face and between his fingers. He lowers his hands, glaring murderously at Brynn, and lunges for her. Seth moves them back and Jack steps forward, punching Sebastian in the jaw and sending him sprawling to the floor, unconscious.

Jack looks around at the other men defiantly. "Anyone else want to try something?" No one moves. "Now if you don't mind, we'll be leaving. Come on, guys."

Jack leads the way out, everyone trailing behind him with Seth still keeping ahold of Brynn. She doesn't take a full breath again until they are out of the house and into the sunlight, walking down the front steps. She breathes in deep, filling her lungs. Her first breath of freedom. They get into Jack's car, Jack and Alex up front, Brynn, Seth, and Sara in the back with Brynn in the middle. It feels good, familiar. Right. As they drive off the property Brynn can't help but turn around in her seat and look back, a lot like she did when she left Vegas for the first time. That house had been her home, her prison, for a good portion of her life. It feels odd to finally leave it behind, but also such a relief.

"Are you alright, Brynn?" Sara asks quietly.

Brynn faces forward, a soft smile spreading across her face. "Yeah. Yeah, I am." She takes Seth's and Sara's hands. "Thank you. All of you. I couldn't have done any of this without you."

"No problem, kid," Jack says. "Really, I should be thanking you. Because of you, I was able to get out for good, too."

"We helped each other. Now Mr. Wolfe won't be lingering over any of us anymore."

"We're actually really lucky Dr. Harlan agreed to be our fail safe and keep a copy of the ledger. That's what really got Wolfe to back down."

"Indeed," Sara says. "He is oddly enthusiastic when it comes to standing up to authority figures, whether they be legal or illegal."

Alex shakes her head, looking back at them. "That's not luck, it's-"

"Science?" Jack finishes for her with a grin.

Alex grins back. "Precisely. It's all part of the Chaos Theory. You see, Brynn? I told you. The universe has righted itself."

Seth wraps his arm around her shoulders and she leans into him. "Yeah," she says. "It has."

When she came into this world, it was to a mother who loved her. Then she came under the control of a father who abused her, turned her days dark and her nights darker. He stole her mother from her and she no longer knew the light at all. But now she's found it again in these four friends, this family who loves her. And she loves them, very much. She misses her mother, she thinks about her every day, but now she's where she belongs. Everything is right in her universe again.

"So," Seth says, kissing the top of her head, "where to now?"

Brynn shifts closer to him, pressing a kiss to his lips. "Now we go home."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_

_Whelp, that's the end. Brynn, and Jack, are finally free, Brynn has a new family, and she has a chance to build a relationship with Seth. Yep, happy ending, just how I like it. I want to thank everyone who has favorited/followed/reviewed this story so far and anyone who does so in the future. You all are amazing and I'm glad you liked it. I had a lot of fun writing this, even though I tried very hard not to at first, lol. But I'm glad I listened to my muse in the end.  
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_Speaking of which, all of you Move Along fans, yes, I will be going back to writing more of Move Along now. I have about a thousand words of the next chapter written already so hopefully I can get it up within the next week or two.  
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_Alright, hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


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